Few people touch as many hearts in their lifetime as Pat Probert did. For more than 30 years, she served as a dedicated and compassionate volunteer for Make-A-Wish, helping to grant hundreds of wishes to children with critical illnesses, primarily in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, and changing many lives along the way. 

Over her decades of service, Probert formed lasting friendships with dozens of wish kids. Many have since grown into adulthood but have never forgotten the “fairy godmother” who played a key role in making their dreams come true at a challenging time in their lives. A beloved wife, mother, grandmother, wish granter, and friend, Pat Probert passed away in July 2023 at the age of 96.  

“She just had the most caring heart,” says Probert’s daughter, Michelle Morris. “There is so much goodness in the world, and mom always found it.” 

Earliest Wishes 

Probert’s son, Bill Probert, recalls that his mother had originally wanted to pursue a career as a nurse. But when she discovered Make-A-Wish, in 1984, she found her true calling. “It was her love and passion,” he says. “Her own kids would tease her not to forget about them while helping all of her wish kids.” 

One of Pat’s first encounters with a child facing a critical illness was a turning point in her life. Pat heard about a family in her hometown of Watsonville, and she learned that one son was fighting cancer. The difficulties the family faced while still maintaining positive attitudes “struck a chord in Pat’s soul,” remembers one of Pat’s best friends and fellow volunteer, Maureen Roach. 

The boy wished to go to Disneyland with his family—and Pat arranged the whole trip, including limousine transportation. In those days, the chapter was entirely volunteer run, so Pat was a wish planner as well as a wish granting volunteer. Her goal was to make kids and their families feel as comfortable as possible during their hard times. “Helping sick children is so rewarding,” Pat said in an earlier interview, “and we get so much back from these kids and their families.”  

Pat went on to become one of the founding volunteers of Make-A-Wish’s regional office in Monterey. She served as the local wish coordinator there, overseeing dozens of wishes each year and at times personally working on as many as 18 wishes simultaneously. Over the years, she helped grow the volunteer corps and welcome new members to the team. 

“From the start we hit it off and Pat turned out to be one of the sweetest people we ever met,” says Jan Corriden, who volunteered with her husband and Pat on many wishes. “She made a great effort to be sure all the volunteers got to help with wishes, and none got left out. She was a most kindly person, and we will always remember her warm and sweet smile for everyone.”

Making Dreams Happen 

Michelle loves to look through her mother’s jam-packed scrapbook, in which Pat kept cards, photos, thank-you notes, and newspaper clippings that tell the stories of her years of wish-granting.  

“One of mom’s all-time favorite wishes involved Doris Day,” Michelle remembers, pointing to a photo of her mom with Day along with a handwritten note from the movie star. “A 13-year-old girl from Chico who had Lyme disease loved everything about Doris Day. Mom arranged for them to meet for lunch at the Cypress Inn, and I believe she even arranged for the girl to get some of Doris’s old films. Mom said that Doris was just the nicest person ever, just like she seems in all her movies.” 

Pat seemed to be able to make the impossible happen, no matter how complicated the wish. When an 8-year-old boy asked to meet a local celebrity, not only did Pat introduce them, she helped the boy land a role in one of his films. She set up an elaborate quinceañera for a young woman from Hollister, complete with a mariachi band. Pat purchased many computers for kids, planned trips for kids and their families to Hawaii, and got children up-close seats for Blue Angels air shows. 

“Mom always wanted to see what she could do for any child that was ailing,” Michelle says. “Sometimes it was difficult, and some of the wishes were a little tough, but she always found a way to make it work. She wanted to give these kids great memories. And it always gave mom so much joy to see the smiles on the kids’ faces.” 

One computer wish Pat helped grant was for wish alum Nick in 1992. Pat surprised him with his computer at a computer shop in Watsonville. She had created a big congratulations banner, which Nick has kept all these years. Nick has now served as a wish granting volunteer himself for 10 years, carrying on Pat’s legacy. 

“Pat was a persistent presence in my life from that one impetus of a wish, onward,” says Nick. “I saw her regularly even after my wish was granted, because there were always Make-A-Wish events going on, and Pat would call us up and ask us to come. She was always just a sweet and lovely person. I can't even imagine all the balls she had in the air at any given time, but she was always so calm and had everything handled. It was so easy to trust her.” 

A Life of Service 

Pat’s devotion to helping others was rooted in her deep religious faith, and she was a devout member of the Holy Eucharist Catholic Community Church in Watsonville. Her charitable activities extended to working with Welcome Wagon, Jacob’s Heart, and the Salesians Sisters School; she also ministered to seniors in rest homes and brought communion to those who couldn’t attend church. For all her efforts on behalf of the church, Pat was honored with the 1994 Angel Award from Magnificat, a Catholic women’s fellowship. 

“When I joined Make-A-Wish in 2012, Pat was our longest-serving volunteer,” recalls Senior Volunteer Manager Daniel Marlay. “I met her at a volunteer meeting and was immediately struck by how sweet she was and how dedicated she was to the organization.” 

In 2016, Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area recognized Pat for her years of service and honored her for helping to grant the most wishes of any volunteer at the time. Among those in attendance at the event were many of the wish kids whose lives Pat had touched, including Nick. 

“Pat lost count of the number of wishes she granted over the years, and just estimated a nice, round 250, which is an amazing achievement,” says Marlay. “She made a lasting impact on the lives of so many of our wish kids, and we miss her as a volunteer.” 

Those 250 wishes are just the center of the ripple of joy Pat created through her lifetime of service. 

“Pat left a beautiful core memory in my life by helping me dream big and realize my wish,” says wish alum Adriana—whose wish to swim with dolphins Pat helped grant in 2008. “My wish became a story I like to share with others and every time I think back on it, it makes me smile. Childhood cancer is not only scary but overwhelming on the entire family and Pat was able to alleviate some of that pain. Pat saw the importance of granting life-changing wishes for children like myself going through tough times. Pat will leave an everlasting impact because of her loving and compassionate heart."