Johnny's wish gave him, his family, and an entire community hope.

Wish kid Johnny has always wanted to be a police officer but worries his critical illness will keep him from ever wearing a badge.

“He doesn’t think he can be a police officer with all of his heart surgeries,” reflected Johnny’s mom, Bobbi. “He’s had a feeding tube because he couldn’t eat, and now he has a growth problem, so now he’s taking growth hormone and his body isn’t growing right.”

Johnny’s wish to be a law enforcement officer allowed him to live out his dreams.

“I now have the hope where I can actually do law enforcement, and if I can’t, then I can do something else with it,” said Johnny.

In honor of Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana’s 40th Anniversary, Linda Pauling, the “Mother of Make-A-Wish,” visited our chapter to help make Johnny’s wish an unforgettable experience. Her son Chris’ wish to be a police officer inspired the founding of Make-A-Wish more than 40 years ago, and sparked a movement of hope. ,

“It brought up a lot of memories of total happiness, of total joy to see this little boy, johnny,” said Linda. “To know the joy that Chris felt, I know Johnny feels it too, to know the joy I felt, I know she (Johnny’s mom) feels it too.”