Reid's Wish

Sunglasses. Check.

Beach towel. Check.

Sunscreen, sand toys, sun hat. Check, check, check.

When you’re preparing for a day at the beach, your checklist might look pretty similar.

But have you considered where the paved parking lot ends?

Or how quickly the sand becomes soft and unnavigable for a wheelchair?

For wish kid Reid and his family, these questions have been on their minds before every family outing for years. Taking a trip to the beach or going on a hike means carefully planning routes, selecting accessible trails, and still often finding plans derailed by a fallen tree or unpredictable terrain.

It means his family has faced tough decisions. Would one family member stay behind with Reid while the rest went for a hike during that family camping trip?

But now that’s a thing of the past thanks to your support! Reid received an off-road wheelchair for his wish, and it opened up an entire world of new experiences and adventures for him and his family.

“Having the wheelchair keeps the world open to him where he can play, go on hikes and explore, which you take for granted when you have legs that work,” said Reid’s mom, Cindy.

Reid is living with a metabolic disorder called pompe disease. Diagnosed at just one year old, Reid has been living with his medical condition for six years. It affects the strength of his lower body and is something he’ll face his entire life.

And yet Reid hasn’t let that dampen his love of the outdoors. Cindy describes him as a daredevil; an active and social kid who seeks adventures. With his new wheelchair, Reid is able to face these adventures head-on.

Kim McCabe from Outdoor Mobility outfitted Reid’s new off-road wheelchair. One of the benefits of this model, she said, is that it will fit Reid for 20 or 30 years. It has four motors and all-wheel drive for almost any terrain. And it can keep up with bicycles and Reid’s siblings, meaning he no longer needs to sit on the sidelines as his family runs and plays.

And that’s not all. Outgoing Reid found a new source of self-confidence in his new chair.

“In addition to impacting Reid’s independence and accessibility, this wish is changing how people interact and engage with him,” said wish-granting volunteer Chris Sullivan. “It positively impacts how Reid sees and values himself, and that’s a powerful thing.”

“People, especially kids, tend to look away from kids in wheelchairs,” said Cindy. “This off-road wheelchair makes people look at him and want to talk to him. It gives him a way to play with and interact with other kids in a way that’s steeped in fun and curiosity, instead of fear or pity.”

That’s because a wish is more than just a moment in a child’s life. A wish gives a child a chance to focus on something other than their illness. Wishes ground them in a sense of normalcy and give them a little bit of their childhood back.

And wishes transform the lives of everyone involved. For Reid’s wish, and many others, that’s where Bungie Foundation comes in.

Bungie Foundation helps Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington with a variety of wishes involving electronics and electronic components. They’ve helped complete wishes ranging from gaming computers to swim spas to off-road wheelchairs, including Reid’s.

“Providing this wheelchair opens Reid up to new adventures with his family,” said Sountary Lim, project coordinator for the Bungie Foundation. “If a wish helps him feel a little more normalcy, if it helps bring some joy and put a smile on his face, that’s why we do it.”

Wishes need people just like you to come to fruition. Right now, many wish meetings are taking place virtually, and we need more volunteers to help grant wishes to children throughout Alaska and Washington. Sign up to be a wish-granting volunteer today!

“Kids are still experiencing illnesses and medical conditions and treatments, even in quarantine” said Chris. “Having wishes helps bring some light during this time when kids may have less social and community engagement to help them, distract them and support them.”

Thank you for your support of kids like Reid!

Special thanks to Bungie Foundation, McCabe Outdoor Mobility and wish-granting volunteers Chris Sullivan and Janine Lee.