Avis Minivan Rental Gives Family a Chance to Reconnect

Theresa has four children, Steven being the youngest. Steven was 10 years old when he came home from school complaining of a stomach ache. From there, his illness escalated very quickly, and he went from being a talkative, energetic child to barely speaking. He was diagnosed with a gastrointestinal disease, and doctors told his family that he might not make it through the night.

“We kept hope alive and nine years later, while Steven still battles the disease daily, he is as happy and talkative as ever,” Theresa said.

Theresa said Steven’s illness took a toll on her family’s finances. Her car was totaled in a bad accident and they had no means to buy a new one. Upon traveling from New York to Florida for Steven’s wish to go to the New York Yankees Spring Training, Make-A-Wish® and Avis had arranged for a minivan rental for the family.

“For the first time since Steven’s diagnosis, our entire family was in a car together,” Theresa said. “It was the first moment that life felt normal again. We sang songs and the kids even chose to eat in the car, instead of eating outside in the beautiful Florida weather.”

Avis has been a valued sponsor for Make-A-Wish since 2002. In that time, Avis has contributed more than $22 million to our mission of granting life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses – giving families like Steven’s a chance to reconnect and bond while driving around their wish destinations.

Rent with Avis, Help Grant Wishes

Throughout August, Avis will give 10 percent of all rental proceeds back to Make-A-Wish. Click below to visit avis.com/wish to learn more about how you can support wish kids.