Jared was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma, a type of cancer that originates in the lymphatic (immune) system, at the age of 17. Jared learned he qualified for a wish during his treatment, so he spent time figuring out what he wanted his wish to be.

As a big fan of all things aviation with hopes of pursuing a career in aviation (either aerospace or mechanical engineering), Jared wished to have an aviation experience to learn insider knowledge on planes before he heads off to college at Purdue this fall. Sun Country Airlines caught wind of his wish and excitedly jumped on board to make Jared’s wish come true.

Jared’s wish day arrived on July 15, 2025. His day began bright and early at 8:30am where Jared met with operations and got a tour of the Sun Country Head Quarters. He then received emergency training, which involved testing out the oxygen masks, inflating life vests, getting a look at the emergency exits, and putting out a controlled fire.

Next, Jared arrived in style in a limousine at the Hangar to get an up-close look at the plane, including the mechanics; operate machinery, which he had the opportunity to test out himself; go down the evacuation slide; become an air traffic controller; help load baggage onto the plane; and have lunch with all Sun Country staff. Once lunch wrapped up, Jared and his family headed to terminal 2 where they got a tour of the terminal before heading off to the flight simulator. Jared learned alongside a Sun Country Airlines pilot how to fly the plane in the flight simulator, an experience he wanted to have during his wish.

To conclude the day, Jared said farewell to Sun Country Airline staff, and they gave him his wings and a customized gift basket.

“I really appreciate getting to do all the hands-on stuff… that was a blast,” Jared shares with the Sun Country staff. “Once we went over to Terminal 2, especially, and getting to meet everybody, everybody at Sun Country was amazing today. I enjoyed the barbecue and you guys will be seeing me on a lot of your planes.”

Jared is now well-equipped to delve into his studies at Purdue thanks to his wish at Sun Country. The knowledge he gained during his wish will help him soar through his engineering program and his future career.