Jack's Wish: Goat Hugs and Pool Time

He has a passion for pangolins and Tasmanian devils—and for his own puppy, Rex. His favorite game is 20 Questions—the animal version—and he enjoys playing Animal Crossing with his older sister Charlotte.

Jack was diagnosed with a rare neurodegenerative disorder called Adrenoleukodystrophy in 2020. When he found out he would receive a wish, Jack immediately wanted to be a zookeeper for a day at the San Diego Zoo.

With travel and wish restrictions in place due to Covid-19, his first idea for a wish would be put on hold indefinitely. So, his wish-granting volunteer duo sprung into action to facilitate a conversation on what could be possible because not all wishes can be stopped by a global pandemic.

Jack’s volunteers, Denise and Amy (who is now a proud wish alumni having had her wish granted in 1996), met with the family via video conference to brainstorm and help Jack think creatively about what he’d like to wish for, while staying closer to home.

In addition to animals, Jack loves to swim. Summer swimming trips to Lake Chelan are a family favorite, and Jack decided that if there was a way to mix his love for animals with his love for swimming, that would be a good alternative.

Through some creativity and special planning, Jack’s volunteers worked with Make-A-Wish to create a unique experience for him.

“For me, the best part about granting Jack’s wish was getting to see the light burst from his eyes and the biggest smile on his face when we had his wish presentation and told him where he was going,” said his volunteer and wish alumni, Amy.

His wish: Jack and his family were headed for an Airbnb on a farm—with a private swimming pool!

What did a day in the life of Jack’s wish look like? As you might imagine, Jack spent hours in the pool. He also fed and rode horses, patted puppies, and spent A LOT of time with the resident goats.

When he wasn’t soaking up time at the pool or cuddling the goats, Jack played Animal Crossing with his older sister Charlotte.

When asked about the best part of the wish, wish mom Brooke said, “Being able to do something special for Jack. His diagnosis hit us the same time as covid-19 lockdowns. Just when creating special family memories felt urgent and of the utmost importance, we were stuck at home. Jack’s wish trip gave us the chance to get out and do the things he loves.”

Having received her own wish when she was battling cancer in 1996, wish-granting volunteer Amy is no newbie to the impact of hope. Today she’s paying it forward by helping create wish experiences for other kids with critical illnesses.

Wishes might look a little different right now, but we need wish-granting volunteers now more than ever to think creatively about how to create wishes for families like Jack’s. Most of the work is now done virtually, too, so that offers an added convenience. 

Just imagine what it would be like to help a child like Jack get to hug a goat…and build beautiful memories with his family.

Become a wish-granting volunteer today.

Special thanks to  Airbnb, wish-granting volunteers Amy Marable and Denise Laevastu