Established in memory of 19-year-old Kaneohe wish kid Taiyo, the Wishes Forever Endowment Fund will make life-changing wishes possible for Hawaii keiki fighting critical illnesses for years to come.

Despite an arduous medical journey, Taiyo was always a driven, optimistic, and selfless teen. He dreamed of starting his own heavy equipment rental business and using his profits to make a difference in the lives of other kids, and his wish for a hydraulic dump trailer was a momentous first step in helping him reach his goals. True to his altruistic spirit, Taiyo wasted no time wishing it forward, using his new trailer to deliver a tracked wheelchair to another local wish child.

Taiyo sadly lost his battle with cancer not long thereafter, but his legacy of helping others has lived on. His parents sold the trailer and donated the proceeds to Make-A-Wish Hawaii in honor of their son. Moved by this gesture, Debbie and Glenn Furuya of local business development and consulting company Leadership Works, which had sponsored Taiyo’s wish, also decided to donate, pooling their funds to establish the Wishes Forever Endowment Fund.

Support of this fund will continue to honor Taiyo’s legacy in perpetuity, impacting generations of Hawaii wish keiki and their families.

To make a gift to the endowment, including a gift of stock, please contact Madalyn Kenney, Chief Development Officer, at [email protected]. Please be sure to note that the donation is for the Wishes Forever Endowment Fund.

To provide a gift by check, please make it payable to Make-A-Wish Hawaii and note the Wishes Endowment Fund, then mail your contribution to the address below:

Make-A-Wish Hawaii
900 Fort Street Mall, Suite 1200
Honolulu, HI 96813

Mahalo nui loa for your support—for delivering strength, inspiring hope, and changing lives, one wish at time.