"I wish to meet my favorite basketball player!" Elijah’s greatest passion in life is basketball. He grew up playing basketball with his older brother, so he has loved the game ever since he was little. Elijah enjoys shooting hoops, watching basketball and going to the gym or the beach with his friends. When he was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, he took to playing NBA video games on Xbox because playing basketball outside became too difficult. Elijah’s biggest wish is to meet his favorite basketball player!

The main reason Elijah wanted to meet his favorite basketball player was not just because he loves the game, but because he shares the same religious beliefs with this player. He admires the way his favorite player lives his life and plays the game of basketball. For his wish, Elijah and his family were taken in a limo to a basketball game where he would meet his favorite player and sit courtside to watch the game – two things he has been dreaming of his whole life! Elijah was so excited to meet his favorite player. He took pictures with him and got a few autographs, but he enjoyed just talking with him the most. It was truly an experience of a lifetime.

Elijah feels incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to meet his favorite basketball player. It was all possible because his wish came true!

"I wish to go to the Walt Disney World® Resort!" Jenelle is spirited 12-year-old girl living with intractable seizures. She loves spending time with her family and friends, especially watching movies and listening to music with them. She is unable to speak but she loves smiling, laughing and playing with her Tinkerbell toys. Naturally, Jenelle’s most heartfelt wish was to take a family vacation to the Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida and meet her favorite Disney characters.

Jenelle's wish team held a pizza party at her home to present the wish and itinerary for the trip. Two days later she and her family were riding in a limo to LAX for their flight to Orlando. For seven amazing days they were treated like VIPs at every park and experienced a true family vacation!

They rode many fun rides, laughed together, ate amazing food, and saw spectacular shows. Jenelle even got to meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse and dance with Goofy! Another highlight for Jenelle was using the Genie Pass to skip the lines and go straight to the front. She and her family were able to experience all the attractions without waiting, which made the trip even more magical.

Her family will never forget this amazing wish. Jenelle couldn’t stop smiling and they know she enjoyed every minute!

"I wish to go to LEGOLAND!" Liam is a spunky 6-year-old boy who loves using his imagination and building all sorts of creations with LEGOs. He especially loves playing with the Ninjagos, the LEGO characters that are ninjas. Even though Liam was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, having his LEGOs to play with and pretending he is a ninja while playing has kept him excited and ready to take on anything.

Liam wished to go to LEGOLAND and stay at the LEGOLAND Hotel in San Diego. He and his family stayed in the Kingdom Room at the hotel which was decorated like a castle fit for a king! He also got to be Master Builder and took a special tour around the park to help build and add to some spectacular LEGO models. He and his family ate at Bricks Family Restaurant, a special LEGO themed restaurant inside the hotel complete with LEGO themed kitchen equipment and giant dishes of food.

Liam and his family are so thankful that his wish came true as it inspired him to keep building, keep creating, and to continue letting his imagination run wild!

"I wish to meet my favorite surfer!"Twelve-year-old Madison is a sweet and caring girl who is always looking toward her faith to help her through tough times. She enjoys talking with friends, playing games and shopping.

In 2013, Madison was diagnosed with cancer. When Make-A-Wish volunteers asked her what her most heartfelt wish would be, she said she would like to meet her favorite surfer. This surfer was such an amazing inspiration to Madison and someone who she truly looked up to and admired. She wanted to surf with her and let her know how impactful she and her story had been in her life. Madison saw the inspirational film of this surfer and her battle through life, after losing an arm in a surfing accident. This story resonated with Madison, and has motivated her to keep on fighting.

When Madison’s wish finally arrived, she and her family packed their bags and headed to Hawaii. Madison couldn’t believe she would finally be meeting her favorite surfer. When she arrived she took in the beauty of Hawaii and was able to get surfing lesson, as well as some surfing tips from her favorite surfer.

This was an experience that Madison will never forget and she is so grateful to have finally met one of her biggest heroes!

"I wish to go on a European River cruise!" Maria is a 17-year-old art enthusiast. She loves drawing on her free time as well as seeing beautiful and historical art.

In 2012, Maria was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. When Make-A-Wish volunteers asked her what her one true wish would be, she said she wanted to go on a European River cruise and visit the beautiful and historical art that was located all over Europe. She wanted to see the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre in Paris, Big Ben in London, the water canals in Venice and the Coliseum in Rome. She had never traveled outside the U.S. nor had she ever been on a cruise. She knew that being surrounded by locations filled with endless amounts of art and history would be a very inspiring experience.

On the day of her wish, Maria and her family packed their bags and headed to Paris. Once they arrived, they embarked on their cruise ship. Maria was in awe of the European architecture, it was more beautiful than she had ever imagined!

Her trip was filled with so many amazing memories. She got to see all the major landmarks and she took endless amounts of photos! The whole trip was more than she could ever have imagined.

She is so thankful that her most heartfelt wish came true. It was a truly unforgettable experience!

"I wish to go to Hawaii!" Suli is a sweet artistic 18-year-old girl who loves drawing and reading. She spends lots of her time watching her favorite movies and television shows.

In 2013, Suli was diagnosed with a chronic kidney disease. When Make-A-Wish volunteers asked her what her one true wish would be. She said she would like to go to Hawaii. She wanted to be surrounded by the serene beaches and warm sun. It was important for her to spend time with her family on a vacation where they could make many happy memories together.

On the day of her wish, Suli and her family packed their bags and headed for Hawaii. When they arrived they were welcomed to the island by lei greeters and they were in awe when they saw the views from everywhere they looked.

Suli and her family enjoyed so many fun activities! She went snorkeling and dolphin watching on the beautiful island of Lana’i, which she had always wanted to do. They also attended an authentic Hawaiian luau. She even got to ride a submarine and explore the underwater scenes of Maui!

She and her family had an amazing time. Suli is so happy that her most heartfelt wish came true, and she is so grateful for the experience.