Jeremiah's Wish

Jeremiah’s favorite movie is “Top Gun.” He loves the camaraderie of the fighter pilots and the environment of the base. He wished to have a “Top Gun” experience to be part of the world he loves so much. 

Make-A-Wish Colorado partnered with Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora, CO for the first-ever wish granted on the base.  

Jeremiah started the day by suiting up in his own fighter jet suit and learning about the gear that goes into keeping pilots safe when they “pull g’s,” or experience high levels of gravitational force while flying. Jeremiah also saw firsthand how pilots see in the dark when he donned a real fighter pilot helmet and looked through night vision goggles.  

Then, it was off to the runway for an up-close look at an F-16! Jeremiah helped perform the pre-flight inspection and shook hands with the pilot who would be taking the plane up for training exercises. The pilot surprised Jeremiah by revealing the crew had named the jet after him! The pilot grinned and asked Jeremiah if he could take out ‘his jet,’ and Jeremiah proudly gave his permission. 

The sound of an F-16 fighter jet taking off above your head is not one Jeremiah will ever forget. He yelled “Holy smokes!” as the jet flew overhead. “It’s crazy how loud it is. Really cool,” he said. 

Throughout the day, everyone at Buckley Space Force Base made Jeremiah feel welcomed and part of the family. Jeremiah took every opportunity to thank the men and women for their service to their country. 

At the end of the day, there was one more surprise in store for Jeremiah - his very own call sign. Like “Goose,” or “Maverick,” every great fighter pilot needs a call sign! The service men & women were so impressed with Jeremiah’s unwavering faith and strength that they gave him the name of “Zeus,” because he is the god of the sky! 

“This means a lot, because not everyone gets to experience this,” Jeremiah said. “They’ll never know how much it means to me. This made me feel on top of the world. I’m just grateful for all of it.”