I wish to have a Navy Base Experience at Pearl Harbor
Elliott
7
heart transplant
Elliott's Wish to have a Navy Base Experience at Pearl Harbor
Elliott’s passion for battleships went from books to real life!
Elliott was only 15 months old when his parents noticed that he wasn’t feeling well, at the time it didn’t seem too alarming. They took him to his pediatrician and from there things started to move fast. He was taken to the local hospital and was then transported to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles where his parents found out he was having heart failure. This was a major shock to Elliot’s family since they never expected this diagnosis.
For two very long weeks, Elliott was on life support. His team of pediatric cardiologists at Children's Hospital Los Angeles worked on a life-saving plan for him that would allow his heart to rest as much as possible. He was then put on the heart transplant list and had a Berlin Heart placed which bridged the gap for him until his transplant. He received his donor heart almost five months after being listed for a transplant. Since then, he has had annual biopsies to check for rejection along with transplant clinic appointments every 3 months and he will be on immune-compromised medications for life.
When Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles reached out to Elliott and his family, they discussed different ideas for a wish, but one stood out the most. Elliott loved going to the library and there he discovered his love of battleships! He would read about battles and the history related to the ships. He decided that for his wish he wanted to have a Navy Base Experience at Pearl Harbor. He wanted to go on a tour of a battleship or aircraft as well as see the day-to-day duties of a naval base.
In early May, Elliott’s wish was granted! He spent two days packed with tours of the active base and ships and met different military members. He met with sailors who explained what they did and why their jobs were important. He visited with the F-22 Raptor pilots and had a chance to see real fighter jets up close. He also learned about pilot helmets, and how they operated, and even got to try one on. Later he had lunch with some Navy crew on the Daniel Inouye Destroyer and learned what all the departments do on the ship. He even had the opportunity to meet Commander Joe of the Middle Pacific fleet. Elliott was named Honorary Commander of the Pacific Fleet and was presented with a patch and a pilot’s coin. Elliott was so excited to have these mementos to take home.
Since his trip, Elliott still believes he is the Commander of the fleet! He continues to talk about his wish and all that he has experienced. Elliott has a list of at least five of his top moments because he can’t just choose one. Elliott’s mom said, “What was really special to me was Elliott raising the American flag on the USS Arizona Memorial, and Elliott being saluted while he was made Commander of the fleet for the day.” Elliott’s parents were in awe of the experience and all the memorable moments. Everyone at Pearl Harbor treated Elliott with care and Mom said that it was an “unforgettable and memorable experience.” As of August 2023, Elliott celebrated his 6th post-transplant anniversary!
I was a sobbing mess the entire time because I was so humbled and happy for Elliott to have this amazing opportunity.
Raquel, Elliott's mom
