Make A Wish

fly free

I reveived a call from the Make A Wish Foundation last year. A small boy's wish was to go Australia Zoo and Underwater World, could we help? The answer YES of course.

We set aside a penthouse for a week, for him and his family ...the staff decorating it with balloons and filling the fridge with food.
I contacted local businesses who were all more than willing to help out. With vouchers for meals, attractions and a free hire car for the week.

Watching this family together, seeing the joy on his face over the smallest things I remember one morning watching them as they waited for the courtesy bus to go on a tour ...the closeness ..the love ....he and his little sister cuddled on a chair ....then seeing his mother for that split second she let her guard down ..the pain ..the sorrow ..the fear ....then mask firmly back in place she turned to him and smiled.

I can't even come close to imagining the courage and torment of this woman. Watching your child die and knowing you can't do anything to prevent it. All the time smiling and joking and trying to stay calm and appear happy and positive .....while inside your heart is breaking into thousands of tiny pieces.

Mother and son came to visit me in my office, to say thank you and tell me how great a time they were having. They had been treated like VIPs at the places they had visited, received many gifts and as she was speaking I could see this mum was close to tears. So i asked if I could steal her son and go for some ice cream.

We went an ordered two digustingly sickly sundaes and as we sat down, I thought what do I say...as if sensing my uncertainty this wise little man ...looked me in the eye and said " it's ok, I know I'm going to die and I'm not afraid. I'm going to fit as much fun in as I can before I go. I just feel sorry for my family cause I know they will miss me." So we talked about anything he wanted, about death some , about what he would have done with his life.

I learnt some valuable lessons about life that day from this very wise little man. I also learnt that he had wanted to be a pilot when he grew up. So I called the local airfield and over the next two days he was taken for a scenic flight over the coast, a helicopter joy flight and up in an old bi-plane. The day before they left I was talking to a collegue and telling her about his dreams. She arranged for him to go up in her husband's glider.

Saying goodbye to this family was hard, half the staff were fighting back tears. We were presented with a picture that he drew, which is still on our office wall. I asked him if he had enjoyed his holiday. Huge smile flashing he said " yes! you know what i liked the most? The glider ..
now I know how it will feel when i'm an angel."

This brave little man passed away on the 19th may 2004 ....two days before his 9th birthday.

Rest in peace, you touched our hearts and souls and will never be forgotten
May your spirit soar high and free ..just like the glider

Jess

Anyone wanting to know more about the Make A Wish Organisation, here is the link. .... Link

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