At just 4 years old, Damian of Schenectady, New York has shown more courage than most people will in a lifetime. Diagnosed with lymphoma, he has faced challenges no child should have to, but through it all, one thing has remained constant: his love of all things Toy Story. Buzz Lightyear quickly became one of his favorites, and when Damian learned his Wish would take him to Walt Disney World, meeting his idol in person became a top priority. Before the trip even began, Damian was already living the adventure. When he received a Buzz Lightyear costume ahead of the trip, to his mom says he was completely obsessed. Once it was on, he didn’t want to take it off. 

But the road to his wish had been a long one. 

Damian first received his Make-A-Wish welcome packet while he was in the hospital. For his mom, the moment was overwhelming. 

“I couldn’t even process what was in front of me,” she said.  “I remember opening the packet, bawling my eyes out and tucking it away in my bag.” 

But Damian’s mom clung hard to her faith and hope and slowly, things began to shift. First came the small things: a few bites of food, a little more strength, a little more light. Then one day, Damian smiled.  

“From that moment on, I knew we still had a long haul, but I thought to myself, he’s going to fight this horrible disease and he’s going to get through this. We all are. What was most special is that you all with Make-A-Wish gave our family the space we needed, and you were there when we were ready.” 

And when he was well enough, it was time. Damian's Wish was to meet Buzz Lightyear at Walt Disney World, and Make-A-Wish set the family up at Give Kids the World Village, a magical resort in Kissimmee, Florida designed exclusively for Wish Kids and their families visiting the parks. 

“The most amazing part was how excited Damian was when he got there,” his mom said. “He looked around and asked, ‘This is for me, mommy?’” 

The magic of the village quickly captured their hearts. Between the welcoming staff, the special details throughout the resort, and meeting other wish families, the experience felt unforgettable. 

One moment in particular meant the world to Damian’s mom: the placement of Damian’s Star. The Star Placement at Give Kids The World is a special way to honor the wishes of children with critical illnesses. Each child’s wish is represented by a star and placed within the castle. Alums are always welcome back to visit their star. 

Then, there were the parks themselves. Damian explored, laughed, and experienced the magic he had been dreaming about, especially when it came to his hero, Buzz Lightyear! 

For the family, the trip felt different from any vacation they had ever taken. 

“We will never have that experience again in our lifetime,” his mom said. “It was so extra special, so stress-free and believe it or not, relaxing. We just went day by day.” 

Damian rang the bell a year prior to his Wish, but this was his family’s first true vacation since before his diagnosis. 

“The best way to describe our Make-A-Wish trip was we felt like we were floating on the clouds, all five of us,” his mom said. “It was hard to say goodbye.” 

Looking back, the trip gave Damian’s family something they had been longing for: time together and a chance to simply enjoy being a family again. 

“We can’t thank you enough for putting this together for Damian,” she said. “He is such an amazing little boy and I’m just in awe of him every day.” 

Today, Damian is thriving. He’s doing phenomenally well in his UPK Pre-K program, and his health continues to improve. 

“I tell everyone our Make-A-Wish trip was the answer. It was honestly the best time we’ve had as a family since our family started.” 

And the memories are never far away. 

“We flash back to it constantly and wish we could float back a few months and relive it.”