Honoring Son’s Wish 30 Years Later
Guest Article written by Wish-Granting Volunteer, Rick
In 1993, our family was given a gift we could never have fully understood at the time. Our son, Joseph, was granted his Make-A-Wish dream: to travel to California and visit the set of Home Improvement.
More than 30 years later, Jolene and I still talk about that experience and the incredible memories it created for Joseph and our entire family.
When your child is going through a difficult medical journey, so much of your life revolves around appointments, treatments, uncertainty and worry. Make-A-Wish gave our family something completely different to focus on. For those few special days, it was about Joseph — his excitement, his dream, and simply enjoying time together as a family.
We were blessed to experience the incredible impact of a wish. The kindness and care shown to Joseph and our family created memories that have stayed with us for more than three decades. It was much more than a trip. It gave us joy at a time when we needed it most.
Our connection to Make-A-Wish didn’t end when Joseph's wish was over. After retiring from a career in education, I knew I wanted to become even more personally involved with Make-A-Wish. Volunteering felt like a natural next step and another way to give back to an organization that had given our family so much.
Today, Jolene often volunteers alongside me, and that makes the experience even more meaningful. Whether we’re helping at an event, participating in an airport send-off or supporting a wish family throughout their journey, we understand what those moments can mean because we once stood in their shoes.
One of the most rewarding parts of my volunteer work is serving as a wish-granting volunteer. There is truly nothing better than sitting with a child and family, getting to know them, and helping that child discover what their wish might be. Then, to have the opportunity to walk alongside the family as that wish begins to become a reality is incredibly special.
You quickly realize that you are not simply helping grant a wish. You are helping create hope, happiness, family time and memories that may last a lifetime.
Jolene and I especially enjoy participating in airport send-offs. There is something wonderful about meeting a family at the airport as their wish journey begins. You can see the excitement in the wish child, the siblings and the parents. The airline and airport employees are wonderful about making the family feel special. Seeing so many people come together to give a family a joyful beginning to their trip always fills our hearts.
No matter how many wish families we have the privilege of meeting, however, our favorite Make-A-Wish memory will always be Joseph's wish.
We can still picture the excitement of walking onto the set of Home Improvement and watching Joseph meet the people he had seen on television. Seeing his happiness made the experience unforgettable for Jolene and me. More than 30 years later, those memories remain just as special.
That is the remarkable thing about a wish. The trip may last only a few days, but the memories can last a lifetime.
For Jolene and me, volunteering with Make-A-Wish is our way of saying thank you. It allows us to honor Joseph's wish and the kindness our family received by helping another child and family experience some of that same joy.
We know what it feels like to be a wish family. Now we have the privilege of standing on the other side and helping create those moments for others.
And every time we see the smile on a wish child's face, we are reminded once again of Joseph, his wish, and a very special journey that changed our family more than 30 years ago.
Our story is just one example of the impact a volunteer can make. Join us and other wish-granting volunteers in bringing hope, joy and unforgettable memories to children facing critical illnesses. Become a volunteer today.