As 13-year-old Max laid in his hospital bed, he jokingly balanced his toy action figure on his forehead. Between the tube in his nose and a tube in his arm, he found a way to be silly and make the whole room erupt with laughter. This is Max. Not just a heart warrior, but also a little boy who is a natural comedian and loves entertaining family and friends. Even through difficult times. 

Two challenging diagnoses—a rare heart condition and chronic digestive disorder, have turned the world upside down for this family. And during one particularly lengthy hospitalization, Max’s medical team referred him for a wish. The infusion of hope was exactly what he and his family needed.  

Max originally wished to take a selfie with a quokka in Australia (a quokka is a mini kangaroo that appears to always be smiling!), but when international trips were paused during the pandemic, he reimagined the perfect wish: meeting the developers of his favorite game, Minecraft.   

And Max’s wish was EPIC! The moment Max stepped into Mojang Studios in Washington; the family signed a non-disclosure agreement. This was because Max would be playing top-secret games! The Mojang team and the aloha they shared with Max and his ‘ohana, and their attention to detail and customization made every part of the wish extremely special.  

 “Although the experience was centered around Max, our entire family benefited. It was therapeutic for us, and it gave us all hope and joy. Those memories are forever etched in our hearts and minds.” —Wish mom, Yulee  

A diligent student, avid reader, and thenfamily comedian, Max never ceases to amaze. His wish trip helped ignite Max’s smile once again and send his spirits soaring toward a bright future.  

Max’s wish was made possible thanks to the generous support of the ELC Foundation. To learn how you can support wishes like Max's please visit hawaii.wish.org.