When 10-year-old Henry found out that his wish was going to be granted, his immediate response was to start planning! At the time, he was in a hospital, states away from his home and receiving chemo treatments for lymphoma. Henry used wish planning to distract himself from the rigorous chemo regime, lumbar punctures and homesickness. He spent a total of 47 days in a hospital in Minnesota treating his lymphoma.  

Henry’s family temporarily moved to Minnesota with him to be his support system while in the hospital.   

It was a traumatic experience for his entire family; Henry took that into consideration when he planned his wish. He decided on a trip with his family to Alaska! This wasn’t going to be just any trip, either. He planned every detail from the type of transportation to the places he wanted to visit and the experiences he wanted his family to have with him.  

Henry’s trip began with a train ride on the Alaska Railroad in his own personal car. He received top-notch service on the train and was invited along with the conductor and staff to learn how a train works, how the staff take care of passengers and so much more. At one point, they handed Henry the microphone so he could share his story and say hi to the other passengers on the train. Henry was the star of the show! When they arrived in Alaska, they stayed at Hotel Captain Cook in the Presidential Suite. Henry was awestruck when he saw his room for the first time. It was huge! 

The family visited Denali National Park where they saw taiga forest, high alpine tundra and snowy mountains along with North America’s tallest Peak – Denali. The tranquility of Alaska’s wilderness and the joy on his face as he took in the beautiful sights helped his family to forget about Henry’s condition. 

At Kenai Fjords, they went on a boat tour and took in the beauty of mountains, ice and ocean. Henry couldn’t believe that you could see all three of things in one place! He had a blast pointing out the wildlife including humpback whales, orca whales and sea otters.   

Wherever he went, Henry was proud to show that he is a wish kid. He wore his Make-A-Wish lanyard and collected pins to clip around the neckline, displaying all the sights he took in while on his wish trip to Alaska.  

Henry and his family still reflect on their wish trip to Alaska as a trip of a lifetime. They made unforgettable memories together. Lymphoma will always be a part of Henry’s life, but he will also have the memories of those who made his wish trip special to carry him through as a reminder that he is not fighting alone.