Marco is a fun-loving 8-year-old boy from Brookings, South Dakota, who loves hanging out with his family. Even at a young age, he has developed a very caring attitude and a grateful heart. Shortly after being diagnosed with leukemia in the summer of 2020, Marco was referred to Make-A-Wish. When he was asked what he wanted to wish for, there was no doubt it was a wish for a shopping spree!

Marco asked to shop at Wal-Mart for electronics and toys, GameStop for video games for his new PlayStation 4, and Hobby Lobby for arts and crafts. He fell in love with the arts and crafts he had access to at Sanford Children’s Hospital during his treatments. Along with the shopping spree, his family also spent some time swimming at their hotel pool and playing laser tag at Thunder Road.

When a wish like Marco’s comes true, it creates strength, hope, joy, and transformation in the wish kid and in their family. It also deeply touches the lives of all those involved. Below are the stories of wish kid Marco, wish mom Sandra, Make-A-Wish volunteer Michelle, Make-A-Wish staff member Taylor, and Adopt-A-Wish partner Michael Chaplin, General Manager of Luxury Auto Mall, and how this wish journey impacted them.

Wish kid Marco, the star of this story, started his wish day by getting out of the limo and sharing his feelings surrounding the day ahead: “I’ve had a hard time with cancer, but I’m stronger now… I’m ready for today!” When asked what the highlights were of his wish day, he said, “Laser tag and… EVERYTHING!” He mentioned that his wish day made him feel so happy and that he loved every part of it. He now hopes to use some of his new Hobby Lobby purchases to make his own crafts. He has set a personal goal of selling his creations to raise money for Make-A-Wish so that other kids can have their wishes granted, too! His big heart is an inspiration to all.

Just as Marco’s cancer diagnosis has affected him, it also has affected his family, especially his mom. Marco’s mom, Sandra, could not express her gratitude enough for the joy that his wish brought them all. “I’ve seen Marco go through a lot this year, so it just made me so happy to see him happy,” Sandra said. Up until the spring of 2020, Marco had been an active, healthy young boy. Sandra shared how difficult Marco’s diagnosis has been on their family: “When they told me he was sick, the worst came to my mind. I’m so grateful that we’ve gotten this far, and I’m praying that it [the cancer] doesn’t come back. It’s been a rollercoaster.” Reflecting back on his wish day, she said, “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen that smile on my baby’s face… Not only did you grant his wish, you also granted mine. To see him smile the way he used to with no pain, no sickness… it meant the world to me.” The impact of a wish is long-lasting, and Sandra knows that their family will remember this experience forever. “Even though Marco has a long road ahead, you all gave us hope for a bright future,” Sandra said.

Make-A-Wish volunteer Michelle joined Marco and his family for the shopping spree to help out where needed. Here’s how Michelle described her job for the day: “The most important role I had on Marco’s day was to keep the little boy smiling and feeling loved and excited. My job was to be there to create excitement for his entire family and make sure they were all experiencing a day they would never forget.” For Michelle, Marco’s joy was her joy. She loved seeing his face light up as he picked out items in the stores and relished in the happiness that was evident between Marco and his family. “I feel truly grateful that I was able to help out with Marco’s wish. Being part of something like this is an amazing experience that gives you a completely new perspective on life… I would count my experience with Marco as one of my favorite days in a very long time,” Michelle said.

Taylor, the Wish Coordinator for Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana, worked to make Marco’s wish come to life. Her job planning out all the details for the wish day meant she had to work closely with Marco and his mom to ensure that she and the rest of the Make-A-Wish team could provide Marco with the most joyful experience. “I feel so lucky to have helped plan Marco’s wish. When I heard that he wanted to make and sell his crafts to raise money to help grant other wishes, I was so touched,” Taylor said. She is frequently inspired by the stories of wish kids, but she doesn’t always get to meet each wish kid in person. Taylor reflected on meeting Marco and his family and shared, “Marco is one of the kindest kids I’ve ever met, and the gratitude that I felt from his family was like no other. I’ve never heard 'thank you' so many times in one day. It was a great reminder of how far a little gratitude can go and why I do what I do here at Make-A-Wish."

Wishes are not possible without our incredible Adopt-A-Wish partners. Sioux Falls Ford and Luxury Auto Mall of Sioux Falls generously adopted Marco’s wish. Michael Chaplin, General Manager of Luxury Auto Mall, shared part of the reason why he is called to adopt wishes: “Donating funds to adopt a wish is a great way to honor our dedicated employees.” At the end of Marco’s shopping spree, Marco had the chance to drive by Sioux Falls Ford to express how thankful he was to Michael and his crew for adopting his wish. Marco eagerly gave out hugs and took pictures with the staff. “It was deeply meaningful to see Marco drive by our store in his limousine and witness firsthand the hope and joy Marco’s wish brought to him and his family,” Michael said.

We’d like to thank the following businesses for helping us make Marco’s wish come true: ClubHouse Hotel & Suites, Stellar Limousine, The Empire Mall, GameStop, Wal-Mart, Pizza Ranch, Hobby Lobby, Eileen’s Cookies, Harold’s Photo Experts, and Thunder Road of Sioux Falls.

A special thank you to Sioux Falls Ford and Luxury Auto Mall of Sioux Falls for adopting Marco’s wish.