The unveiling of an incredible new structure brought spectators from far and wide to the city of Bellflower, Calif. But it wasn’t a towering skyscraper or a breathtaking bridge – it was a one-of-a-kind spherical fort that stands in 9-year-old Joshua’s backyard.

Joshua often dreamed of having his own fort while watching his favorite TV show, the National Geographic Channel’s “MegaStructures.” The show helped him pass the time during a six-month hospital stay as he received treatment for leukemia.

Joshua’s father tried to build his son’s dream fort, but his own health issues halted construction before he could build more than a shell. That’s when the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of Greater Los Angeles stepped in.

One of the chapter’s new board members, Ron Turner, works for the architecture firm RTKL Associates. Ron organized a design contest at his office, and the architects came up with four amazing concepts that made Josh’s choice difficult. As local news cameras rolled, Joshua selected a spherical fort featuring a drawbridge entryway. He could hardly wait to see it standing in his own backyard.

Ron then connected the Foundation with Turner Construction Co., a company that was able to accelerate the project timeline and make Joshua’s wish come true quickly. With 65 volunteer builders working more than 12-hour days, the walls of the 14-foot fort went up. After only three weeks of construction, wish granters were ready to tear down the secretive blue tarp and present the fort of dreams to Joshua. True to his promise, he’d resisted every urge to sneak a peek.

“I’ve been tempted,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “But every time I’ve wanted to peek, I’ve asked my mom if I can watch TV or play a video game instead. I think I’m going to be surprised.”

Thanks to the extensive media coverage of Joshua’s wish, scores of well-wishers came out to share in the surprise. A nearby high school graciously offered the use of its parking lot to accommodate all the vehicles, and a city bus company shuttled people to and from Joshua’s backyard. Donated donuts and juice ensured that the happy crowd was well-fed.

When Joshua’s limo drove up, the crowd began chanting his name, and the Bellflower mayor started the party by presenting the awestruck boy with
a key to the city. The family’s pastor even blessed Joshua’s fort just before it was unveiled.

When Joshua first saw his fort – his wish come true – he could hardly speak. Once he regained his composure, he said thoughtfully, “A bad thing really can be transformed into a good thing, no matter what.”

Joshua’s wish received the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America’s annual Infinite Wish Award, given each year to a chapter that involved an entire community in making a child’s wish come true.

By Kathryn Roethel