Eight-year-old Joshua has always been fascinated with the animal kingdom. According to his mom, Amelia, his energy and curiosity rival that of any creature found in the wild.  

“Joshua is a force to be reckoned with,” she says, smiling. “He’s kind of a force of nature.”  

But in August 2023, after he started to experience sporadic arm pain, a trip to the doctor revealed that Joshua had cancer.

“Once he figured out that the capybara is friends with everybody, he said ‘Like me! I want to be friends with everybody too!’” recalls Amelia. “Joshua is the most adaptable creature I’ve ever met. I think that’s why he likes capybaras so much, because they roll with whatever is coming at them.” 

When he learned he would receive a wish, Joshua decided he wanted to meet—and, if possible, swim with—the animal that inspired him during his medical journey: the capybara. “They ride on alligators.” Joshua explains. “And they’re really kind, which is why I wanted to see them.”    

In March 2025, Make-A-Wish staff, wish-granting volunteers, and Joshua’s care team, gathered at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford to surprise Joshua with the news that his wish would be coming true in April. His wish celebration took place later that month live at Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area’s annual gala, Evening of Wishes, at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, where guests did "the wave" with bid paddles decorated with capybaras and danced to “The Capybara Song.” Joshua even received his wish bag from another wish kid, Eero, whose wish to be a paleontologist was granted in 2024. “Pack light,” Eero advised Joshua. “They give you a lot of presents.” 

The advice turned out to be challenging for Joshua! 

“Joshua’s packing consisted of trying to figure out how to bring all of his capybara stuffies,” explains Amelia. “We had to pare it down a bit.”   

Soon, the family was off to San Diego to visit Nurtured by Nature, an animal conservatory that specializes in providing individual animal encounters for children. Joshua’s wish was actually the 300th wish that Nurtured by Nature helped to grant, and—hopefully!—the first one where a wish kid would swim with a capybara. 

The trip also marked Joshua and his sister Teresa’s first time on an airplane!  

“Southwest Airlines had us board the flight before everyone else and introduced us to the flight crew and pilots,” Amelia says. “The pilots even let the kids go in and check out the cockpit. It was a super-fun group of folks on the plane.” 

On April 29—2025 World Wish Day—it was time to meet the capybaras. Joshua and Teresa were up at 5:30 a.m., stuffies in hand and ready to go, and the family headed to Nurtured by Nature later that morning.      

There, they met armadillos, which Amelia says made quite an impression on the kids; took selfies, or “slothies,” with a sloth; and fed lemurs, foxes, and even a couple of feisty porcupines. Then, Joshua was able to pet, feed, and even hug capybara sisters Cloudberry and Gooseberry. 

“They really reinforced the idea that no matter what's happening or where you are, you can create your own experience,” says Amelia. “It was amazing to see him interact with animals that he feels a strong kinship with.” 

Finally, it was time to meet—and, hopefully, swim with—Capy Chino.  

Nurtured by Nature staff had been training Capy Chino to swim with people just for moments like this one, but even they weren’t quite sure he would be up to it that day. When the moment of truth came, sure enough, Capy Chino delivered.  

Joshua got to spend time swimming in the lazy river with Capy Chino, just like he wished for. “Swimming with Capy Chino was huge for him,” Amelia adds.  

“They were the first wish family to swim with the capybaras.” says Sarah Stuck, On-Site Keeper at Nurtured by Nature. “They’ve been through so much. To give them this amazing day that they’ll be able to remember is incredible. I’m so lucky to be a part of it.”  

“I loved seeing Joshua in the pool with Capy Chino because I know that was so important to him,” says co-founder of Nurtured by Nature Wendy Yates.  

“I think he's really learned about himself, and the world, through this process,” says Amelia. “He was so excited to confirm that capybaras are as kind and wonderful as he thought they were. There was a moment where Joshua was dancing and doing this funny walk and one of the capybaras started bouncing with him. Oh my gosh, it was hilarious.” 

The family spent the rest of their wish trip exploring the beach, seeing tigers and pandas at the San Diego Zoo, visiting the maritime museum, and riding hotel waterslides. 

“As parents, Josh’s illness was like a full-time job,” says Amelia. “So, to have uninterrupted, relaxing family time—to come back together as a family and just spend time together—it was really awesome.”   

Today, Joshua is healthy and spending his summer playing soccer, swimming, and attending camp. Amelia says he loves to wear his Nurtured by Natured T-shirt and share his story with anybody who asks about it, especially his medical team. He hopes to one day become a scientist and work at a zoo or an animal shelter. 

“The wish gives you an opportunity to think bigger, to think long term, to think of something fun,” says Amelia. “It brings a sense of stepping outside the hospital walls, even just in our imagination, and it makes a huge difference.”