I'd like to thank Give A Wish for for putting a BIG smile on Haydn's face. He wanted to go to the LSU vs Ole Miss game, which is 1 1/2 hours away from us and they made it happen. It's things like this that give kids a pick-me-up when their life has been turned upside down and they have to go thru extensive treatment, surgery and have to be away from their family and friends. Thank you!
From Amy:
Ok I'm so excited I have to share trying not to cry the happy tears smile emoticon Just got off the phone with THE entertainment chairperson for Magic Kingdom to make a wish come true for a sweet little girl. She will get exactly what she wanted with a meet and greet with Tink and some extra pixie dust! Don't tell her Deanna Dowden! Got surprises in store. Love it when all the hard work and persistence pays off smile emoticon it takes a village!!!
Letter from Zach’s mom concerning his wish experience:
July 1, 2015
When you find out that your child has been selected for a wish opportunity, you are filled with emotions that will overwhelm your soul. Just the thought that someone or a group of people find your child just as valuable as you do, is enough. What's amazing is how such a small group of volunteers can make something you envision in your mind as a dream come true so much more than you could have ever imagined.
There was a whole lot of planning that went into this I'm sure, but as the parent of the first G.A.W kid, I never knew what to expect. Everything I can tell you is what we actually experienced. The volunteers had one surprise after another. Our whole family was made to feel as though each and everyone of us is equally as important.
Zach's wish was to go to Gulf Shores, Alabama to watch his team, Lightning Baseball, play in the Global World Series. We chose to drive and were given the instructions on where we were staying and how to get there. As we pulled up to our designated parking space, we were welcomed by some very amazing Give A Wish volunteers. They had actually driven to Gulf Shores the day before to get everything prepared for us. They met us in the parking area with a red carpet fit for King Zach! LOL! As we were escorted to our condo, we were informed that it wasn't any ordinary condo, but a Penthouse Condo. As we walked into the condo, every one of us were in awe. It was so beautiful! We were given so many wonderful treats! The boys were given endless trips to play laser tag! Our family was given gift certificates for food, movies, ferris wheel rides, ect. I was handed a dream surprise that any mom would love....... a 60 minute massage!!!!!! OOOOOOO LA LA!!!
After we got settled in, we went to the Wharf's Ampitheater for the World Series Opening ceremony. When we got there, we were welcomed on stage in front of the 100+ teams that were there. As Zach walked on the stage, all the ball players, coaches and families stood and gave Zach a standing ovation! Talk about EMOTIONAL!!! I was given the opportunity to speak about Zach's story. Then one of the most amazing things happened, EVERYONE SANG ZACH HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
The whole trip was AMAZING! I could write 100 pages about the trip. We had so many "firsts" for Zach and our family. We were able, as a family, to experience FUN times without having to worry about the normal everyday things. Our older boys, Jon and Nony were able to enjoy themselves as individuals, which can be hard for a sibling of someone with special needs. Zach was able to spend his birthday where he loves to be, on a baseball field. Tony and I were even given the opportunity to have some time for each other thanks to our older boys. OH! Did I mention that Lightning Baseball got 3rd place out of 39 teams!!!!
Thank you Give A Wish for all that you do for our families. It was an experience that will never be forgotten. May GOD continue to bless all of you and all of the organizations and individuals that help you be successful!
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