I wish to be an actress!
Grace
15
rare disease
Grace's Wish To Be An Actress
Like most 15-year-olds, Grace loves playing video games, dancing in her room, and playing with her dog, Bella. A favorite in her local community theater, she has a zest for life and a sense of humor that keeps everyone on their toes.
But Grace is fighting battles that most teens her age will never know about.
Grace has Crohn’s colitis, a condition characterized by inflammation of the intestines. In addition to the cramping, nausea, upset stomach, and other symptoms, she also has chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO), an extremely rare autoimmune disorder that leads to stress fractures and widespread bone pain.
Over the past five years, Grace has been in and out of the hospital, taken round after round of medications, had several colonoscopies, and received emergency surgery that left her with a diverting ileostomy. By 2020, Grace was having more bad days than good ones.
“I was constantly in fight-or-flight mode,” said Michele, Grace’s mom. “We had more questions than answers.”
Looking for a way to brighten up their lives, the family decided to apply to Make-A-Wish.
Grace (left) with comedian Justin Loncar (right).
Grace was having a lot of fun running her own YouTube channel and being on the stage at her local community theater. So her wish to be an actress made perfect sense!
Grace was hopeful that she could find work as an extra on a local TV show, but Make-A-Wish loves to exceed expectations. As part of the wish granting experience, we reached out to director Robin Hoffman, who wrote, produced, and directed a short film for Grace to star in!
In addition to Grace, the film (dubbed “SpecialTee”) included a host of internet stars.
Hoffman reached out to a few of Grace’s favorite TikTokers and YouTubers, who were happy to participate. Evan Hufferd—who plays Grace’s brother in the film—has a successful YouTube channel with more than 13,000 subscribers. Other social media personalities included TikTok comedian Justin Loncar (@somedeafguy), sewing sensation Alexandra Louise (@_alexandra.louise_), and V Spehar from @underthedesknews.
“It was pretty cool seeing all the TikTokers,” Grace said.
Her mom agreed:
Our expectations were completely exceeded. It was an experience you could never hope for in a million years.
Wish Mom, Michele
Once production on “SpecialTee” had wrapped, Make-A-Wish wanted to give Grace the debut she deserved by throwing her a movie premiere!
For kids with chronic illnesses, their day-to-day life can sometimes feel like it’s all about their condition. But this night was all about Grace!
On a warm September evening, fans and photographers were lined up outside the Aloma Cinema and Grill. When Grace arrived, it was just like any Hollywood movie premiere. The star emerged from a limo in a beautiful dress, sparkling shoes, and a dazzling smile.
And—just like any premiere—there was one question everyone wanted to know: “Who are you wearing?”
Fortunately, Dillards had granted Grace a shopping spree so she could show up at her big event looking like a star. Her mom and grandparents accompanied her for a day of fun and amazing memories.
“It was a fun day,” her mom told us. “That’s a day I’ll hold in my heart forever.”
Grace’s favorite moment, however, was walking down the red carpet and seeing the crowds of adoring fans show up to share the realization of her dream. More than a hundred guests showed up to watch Grace’s debut role as Tina and—more importantly—celebrate her many accomplishments.
Mom Michele says that just seeing the enthusiasm of so many well wishers has given Grace an “emotional and spiritual boost,” which has done wonders for her confidence level.
In fact, the mother-daughter duo even have plans to start a podcast later this year to help bring encouragement (and some of Grace’s trademark humor) to other families who may be going through tough times.
Throughout the ups and downs of her illness, Grace has maintained a tenacity and strength that’s hard to find, even among adults. Having her wish granted has only strengthened her desire to spread her light to those around her.
Over time, we have no doubt that Grace will grow into an incredible, unstoppable woman and we are honored to have played a role in that transformation.
“Make-A-Wish has a lot of nice people,” Grace said. “They really help kids like me get a chance to do something they always wanted to do and I think that’s really cool!”
All too often, serious chronic illness robs kids of the ability to experience things that the rest of us take for granted. But with your help, the Make-A-Wish Foundation can help these children fulfill their dreams.
If you’re interested in donating, attending an event, or volunteering as a wish granter, contact Make-A-Wish Central and North Florida to learn more or visit cnfl.wish.org.
