WrestleMania is one of the largest group wish-granting events each year. This year, to help us kick off World Wish Month, 19 wish kids and families converged in Philadelphia for a week long experience of WresleMania 40! Prior to the two-night main event on April 6-7 at Lincoln Financial Field, the wish kids were treated to unforgettable experiences fit for WWE Superstars! Starting with integration into a WWE moment at the Philadelphia Phillies game, our wish kids were invited to watch the game with some special guests - WWE Superstars Liv Morgan, Charlotte Flair, Kofi Kingston and Braun Strowman! We even had a wish kid selected at random to throw out the first pitch.
The next big moment took place at WWE World, a fan expo, in conjunction with our partners at Fanatics. The wish kids got to load up on fan gear for a private shopping experience at the WWE World Superstore and have their own Superstar personas come to life when they were individually introduced by WWE Superstars Rey Mysterio and Charlotte Flair with a signature walk-out! They were also presented with a custom bomber jacket and WWE title belt!
The following day, the wish kids arrived at the Philadelphia Visitor Center and became the latest inductees into the prestigious Circle of Champions – an exclusive group that honors the perseverance and toughness of wish kids. Every year, WWE hosts the Circle of Champions event with surprise appearances from WWE Superstars, and it’s always a highlight for the wish families. The families enjoyed breakfast with WWE Superstars ( Angelo Dawkins, Montex Ford, Liv Morgan, Biance Belair, CM Punk, and WWE host Alicia Taylor). After breakfast, the Superstars joined the wish kids on a tour of Philadelphia visiting the Liberty Bell, the Museum of Art (Rocky statue/steps!), and The Franklin Institute for a private lunch, special magic show, and a surprise appearance from Cody Rhodes. That evening, the families attended the Friday Night Smackdown event and WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
After an action-packed week of hanging out with WWE Superstars, the kids were then treated to tickets for both nights of WrestleMania 40! The weekend was full of surprises such as appearances by The Undertaker, John Cena, and The Rock! It was very exciting to see Cody Rhodes win, as he is an avid Make-A-Wish supporter and a lot of our wish kids were rooting for him!
A huge thanks to our partners at WWE for creating a life-changing itinerary for our wish kids and families. For over 40 years, WWE has helped to grant thousands of wishes, creating hope and renewing energy for the wish kids, their families and everyone involved.
