Jack, from Casper, is like many of us Wyomingites, he loves the outdoors, camping, and playing in the water. In the summer, Jack spends time adventuring on Casper Mountain with his family, where he can almost always be found playing in the creeks. At just four years old, Jack should have been able to simply play with Spiderman action figures and watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (which he did), but he also experienced heart complications that have challenged his childhood.

Jack was born with a heart condition that required four surgeries, three of them being open-heart surgeries. These surgeries, were necessary to allow blood flow throughout Jack’s body.  

“Jack is doing so good after everything he’s been through. He is the most rowdy, outgoing, loud, yet shy child ever. We were so excited to talk about wishes with him,” says Jack’s mom, Heather.

When it came time to decide on a wish to be granted by Make-A-Wish Wyoming, it all came down to one thing: Jack loves the water. A wish that could include waterparks, water slides, water toys, and being outside would capture it all. The only problem, Jack couldn’t decide on just one! So, with the help of his mom, they laid out four waterpark ideas on a spinning board. Jack spun the dial, watched it go round, and burst with excitement when it landed on Wisconsin Dells, home of the biggest waterpark in the world.

“Jack couldn’t decide what to do. He had so many fun ideas, but we had to land on just one. That’s where the spinning board idea came in. Between the four choices we put on the board, Jack would’ve been thrilled to have any of them, so it was a safe bet. The spinning board also gave an element of surprise since we didn’t know what it would land on. Then, when it landed on Wisconsin Dells, he was immediately excited,” says Heather.

Jack’s wish to go to Wisconsin Dells was granted, and before long, he was packed up and settled in the car for the adventure that lay ahead. Together with his family, they road tripped to Wisconsin, where many other adventures would be had along the way. In between coloring and painting in the car, Jack made stops to visit his grandparents and sightsee an array of attractions as they drove state-by-state. As they crossed the Wisconsin border, the main attraction drew nearer. Before too long, Jack could see the waterpark on the horizon where his dream would soon become a reality.

“Jack loved the road trip. He truly had a ball, and because we road tripped, it showed him that not every long car ride leads to a hospital, so it restored his faith in long drives a little more. The day we got there, Jack was so excited to see the waterpark. He kept saying, ‘Look! Look! I can see it!’ That first day, we went out and enjoyed a meal together as a family. We are a blended family, so it was really cool that all of us could be together to enjoy this trip and celebrate Jack,” says Heather.

The second day’s itinerary was simple: wake up and waterpark. Wisconsin Dells is deemed “The Waterpark Capital of the World,” featuring several indoor and outdoor parks, and Jack couldn’t contain his excitement.

To wrap up each day at the waterpark, Jack’s family would try a new restaurant and enjoy a family meal together. A truly special outing occurred on dry land when, one day during the Wisconsin visit, Jack went to Build-A-Bear.

“Before all of this, when Jack had his first heart surgery, he was given a bear by the Denver Children’s Hospital. At the time, this bear was nearly the same size as Jack. This time, he got to pick out his own Build-A-Bear, which he now sleeps with every night. This was probably one of the most special moments, and one of Jack’s favorites from the trip,” says Heather.

Wisconsin Dells blew Jack’s mind as a young kid who loves to play in the water. He and his family spent plenty of time enjoying the array of waterparks, going down waterslides, swings, and other aquatic features. Throughout their time there, the family also went to the zoo, enjoyed playing in the arcade, and even celebrated Jack’s fourth birthday on the first day of their visit.

“This trip was so awesome and relaxing. It was great to get away and experience new things together and see more of the country. Jack loved it. He loved being able to be around his whole family and just enjoy every single thing we did there,” says Heather.

You can help Make-A-Wish Wyoming grant life-changing wishes for kids like Jack across Wyoming. If you know a child who is eligible for a wish, refer them to Make-A-Wish Wyoming or donate today to help make a wish come true.