Aaron Michael's wish to go to Disney World

There are some moments in life that stay with you forever. For our family, one of those moments was Aaron Michael’s Make-A-Wish trip to Disney.

Make-A-Wish is important to me because they made something my son always dreamed about come true. Aaron Michael always wanted to go to Disney, and Make-A-Wish gave him the opportunity to experience not only Mickey Mouse, but all the things he loved.

Aaron Michael was diagnosed with adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), and during the planning of his wish, the disease had begun affecting his brain function, senses, and awareness. For him to see Mickey Mouse and express that he had seen Mickey Mouse on stage was a moment I will never forget. No words can truly describe what that feeling meant to us. In that moment, everything was worth it.

Aaron Michael was really into swords, so getting the chance to make his own personalized saber was the icing on the cake. I can still remember his smile and the way he screamed with excitement. That moment is etched in my heart forever.
Aaron Michael had such a joyful spirit. He loved Pokémon, Legos, and Beyblades and dreamed of becoming a Master Trainer. His kindness, laughter, enthusiasm, and fighting spirit touched everyone who knew him.

During Aaron Michael’s medical journey, Make-A-Wish gave our family something we desperately needed: a moment to just be a family. It gave us the opportunity to step away from the medical appointments, uncertainty, and difficult days and focus on Aaron Michael simply being a kid. We laughed, explored, celebrated, and made memories together.

Those memories mean even more to us today as he gain his wing on November 18 2023.

I also want to recognize the people behind the scenes who worked so hard to make Aaron Michael’s wish special. Their patience, flexibility, compassion, and understanding were remarkable. They listened to what Aaron Michael wanted and helped create an experience that was truly his.

I believe people should donate to Make-A-Wish because a wish is so much more than a trip or an experience. A wish creates joy. A wish creates hope. A wish creates memories that families can hold onto forever.

Make-A-Wish gave Aaron Michael the chance to experience his dream, but they gave our entire family something even more precious—the memories of seeing our son genuinely happy and excited.

For that, we will always be grateful.

Thank you, Make-A-Wish, for giving Aaron Michael his wish and giving our family memories that we will never forget. His smile, his laughter, and that excitement will forever live in our hearts.