Nash's wish granters give him the magic of a wish
Nash's Wish Granters Gave Him the Magic of a Wish
Teresa began volunteering with Make-A-Wish Minnesota in 2019 after seeing the joy and hope her own son experienced through his wish. She also serves on staff as a Wish Coordinator. Gabby joined the staff in 2021 as the Volunteer Services Manager and became a volunteer herself to better understand the work she supports.
Together they served as wish kid Nash’s wish granters. They met with Nash for his wish discovery and his passion for football and his home state team was evident to them. He immediately shared his dream: meeting the Minnesota Vikings and his favorite player, Justin Jefferson.
Once his wish was approved, Teresa and Gabby created a special wish reveal, sending Nash a box of treats and Vikings themed surprises with a note that read, “Your wish is being granted!” Wish reveals are Teresa’s favorite part of volunteering: “The looks on their faces – amazing!” For Gabby, she enjoys getting to know each unique kid and finding out details that will make their wishes and wish boosts special.
Leading up to wish day, they continued sending creative wish boosts that meant a great deal to Nash and his family. His mom shared, “They were so creative with their surprise boxes… They went out of their way to see us in the hospital and even remembering his birthday.”
Nash’s wish day coincided with Walk For Wishes at the TCO Vikings practice facility. Teresa, Gabby, and event attendees lined the sidewalks to cheer on Nash and the other wish kids. “Seeing Nash arrive at Walk for Wishes as a large group of attendees cheered him and the other wish kids was lovely,” said Gabby. “I love seeing the smile on the kid's faces when their wish comes true!”
Teresa added that Nash and his family were “simply radiating joy and happiness – and their wish had hardly started yet!” She stated that this was a reminder to live in the moment, smile, and have fun.
After the wish, Justin Jefferson had cleats made with all the of the wish kid’s signatures on them. Teresa ran across the photo on social media and immediately shared it with Nash’s mom. That was the first time that they had heard about it, and they were so excited and honored.
Often, a wish is more than just a wish. Teresa shares, “I think Make-A-Wish impacts wish kid’s lives by empowering them. Being granted a wish allows children to choose during a time when they do not always have much control. It builds confidence, it inspires and motivates them to fight harder against their illnesses. I think it’s also often a gift that gets paid forward in more ways than we can imagine.”
Gabby adds that she has seen a wish impact a child through “the knowledge that others are thinking about them and working towards something special for them. It has been something I've seen wish kids really respond to.”
Volunteers like Teresa and Gabby are the heart of Make-A-Wish and we are so grateful for all that they do. As Gabby reflected, “The magic of the wish is not just in the wish itself, but seeing the community come together to make it come true.”
Read Nash's Story Below!