Best Friends and a Joyful Reunion

As an orphan from Mongolia, she was born with a nervous system disorder and she has suffered respiratory failure. Through her darkest moments, a friendship with a fellow orphan named Nixon truly brightened her days. Even after being adopted by separate families in the U.S., Nixon and Dana stayed in touch. Their special bond has helped Dana endure her busy schedule of treatments and appointments.

When her family connected with Make-A-Wish, Dana knew that she wanted to reunite with her best friend. Not much later, Nixon and his family traveled from Florida to meet Dana and her family in Oregon for an unforgettable week. Dana and Nixon visited the zoo, had fun painting and shared plenty of laughs. Even while she rested, “Nixon would get on the bed and touch her arm and say ‘I love you, Dana. How are you doing?’” said Janie, Dana’s mom.

For Dana, her wish gave her a piece of her childhood back. Reconnecting with Nixon was also a light of hope at just the right time. “I don’t know that Dana would still be here, honestly, without that wish,” Janie said. “That seemed to be a turn-around point for her.”