Jesse’s nerves were a little less than rock steady. He was just seconds away from meeting Gwen Stefani, the entertainer he’s idolized since he was 9 years old.

Meeting Stefani was the wish Jesse, who is diagnosed with Friedrich’s ataxia, made after a visit from the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He briefly thought of traveling from his home in Rustin, La., for shopping spree in New York or Los Angeles. But those ideas wound up in the doghouse once he realized he could meet Stefani.

He traveled to San Diego to meet his idol before a performance at Cox Arena in 2005. The star cleared time in her schedule to meet Jesse, 15, before going onstage during her Harajuku Lovers’ Tour. her first as a solo artist.

Jesse was originally a fan of Stefani’s first band, No Doubt. He loved the upbeat, ska-drenched rock and reveled in the singer’s energetic performances. From the beginning, she was more than just a girl to him.

“Once I thought up meeting Gwen, my heart was set,” he wrote. “I guess I just liked her songs, her voice, her looks…and then just fell in love.”

The days leading up to his visit with Stefani included touring the San Diego Zoo, enjoying the beach in La Jolla and shopping at some of San Diego’s hottest stores. But he could barely think about any of that as Stefani walked into the dressing room, creating his favorite moment of the wish.

They spent about 20 minutes talking about her recording plans and things they had in common – such as their birthdays being only a day apart. After their chat, Jesse went to the front of the house for the concert.

Stefani still had a surprise for him: She invited him onstage while she performed the single “Hollaback Girl.”

“I was terrified,” he admitted, “but I had to do it.”

Being in front of more than 12,000 people was quite an experience for Jesse. But it was nowhere near as exhilarating as spending some one-on-one time with Stefani and finding out that she was every bit as gracious as he imagined she would be.

“She was absolutely what I expected her to be,” he said, “and she was just absolutely perfect.”