Edith has been surrounded by people who are willing to go to great lengths for her since before she was even born. When Edith’s mom was still pregnant with her, her parents found out that she had congenital heart disease. Edith’s mom and dad wanted to give her the best chance at surviving her condition, so they chose to travel to Michigan to a specialty clinic where Edith could be cared for by experts when she was born.  

Throughout the first few years of her life, Edith’s parents did everything they could to give her a “normal” childhood, making tough decisions that help her in the present while her future is uncertain. When she was nine months old, Edith had her first open heart surgery. She had her second open heart surgery about a year later.  Though these surgeries have helped to correct her heart defect for now, they may pose health challenges for her in the future.  

Despite low oxygen saturations, frequent doctor visits and two open heart surgeries, Edith has grown into an imaginative, sweet and energetic 3-year-old. She loves to be creative and play pretend with her family. She also enjoys baking goodies for loved ones.   

Edith’s wish was to have her very own playhouse in her backyard.  When Make-A-Wish’s business partners and donors heard about Edith’s wish, her incredible story inspired a community to come together to make it come true. Over 30 businesses and organizations worked together to create Edith’s Heart House as each detail was chosen with her in mind. Builders FirstSource supplied materials as volunteers from the Home Builders Association of the Sioux Empire spent countless hours building the playhouse. From the family photos on the walls, to the play kitchen and grocery store, every detail was designed to honor Edith’s imagination of the perfect playhouse.  

On the morning of Edith’s wish reveal, her playhouse was delivered by a crane to transport it over her family’s house onto a cement pad in their backyard. Construction workers finished moving the playhouse and ensured that every detail was in place while Edith and her family stayed overnight at ClubHouse Hotel & Suites and enjoyed a fun-filled day at the pool and The Empire Mall, taking selfies and having lunch at Red Robin. Edith and her family laughed together as they rode on motorized animals around the mall.  Edith even received some pampering at Nails Time where she had her nails painted bright orange. 

When they finally arrived at their home, there was a crowd of supporters waiting for Edith’s wish reveal! The emotion was overwhelming. Edith’s grandma encouraged her, along with the rest of the crowd, as she skipped down the red carpet to her Frozen-themed playhouse for the first time! She inspected every detail of the colorfully painted playhouse filled with toys that she can use to play pretend. It didn’t take her long to discover the loft of the playhouse filled with Frozen toys and the bright yellow slide that she could use to exit the playhouse. 

Edith’s family was moved by the community that came together to make her wish come true.

The powerful effect of a wish can bring people together in unimaginable ways. Edith’s wish is the perfect example of how one little girl’s journey can inspire business professionals and communities to come together to change a family’s life. Thank you to Edith’s Adopt-A-Wish Partner, Bill and Carolyn Hinks and partners who helped make her wish possible: Home Builders Association of the Sioux Empire, Jarding Construction, Inc. and Builders FirstSource Sioux Falls.   

We’d also like to thank the wish day partners, wish enhancement partners and volunteers: Glass Doctor of Sioux Falls, Rainbow Midwest Sioux Falls, 605 Drafting + Design, Pride Neon Signs, Midwest Land Surveying, Brooks Construction Services, Oakridge Nursery & Landscaping, Northwest Corp., Friessen Construction, Rehfeld’s Art & Framing, Matt Schultz Construction, LLC, Dustin Hoffman Construction, LLC, Clean Cut Handyman Services, Deffenbaugh Homes, Pride Built Homes, Audio Video Integrations, Glammeier Homes, Citywide Painting, Rentall-Sioux Falls, ClubHouse Hotel & Suites, Air Madness, The Empire Mall, Red Robin, Nails Time, Animal World, Selfie WRLD, Amanda’s Imagery, Eileen’s Colossal Cookies, Vicky Buhr and Anne Bahr. 

Because of these incredible donors, wish granters, business partners and volunteers, Edith will have a playhouse where she can use her imagination to her heart’s desire and experience renewed energy and strength as she battles her heart condition. The community that came together for this wish also granted Edith’s parents wish to help her have the best childhood she can possibly have. If you’re inspired by Edith’s story, there are many ways for you to get involved with Make-A-Wish!