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N.D. (Make-A-Wish Foundation) – When you’re told “no” enough times, you start to think that something isn’t possible.

For wish kid Gage, he was usually told no when he wanted to go on amusement park rides because of his tracheostomy tube. He had to miss out on the fun with his brother and sister.

Gage, a wish kid from Jamestown, was diagnosed with CHARGE syndrome at the young age of 1 ½. He’s had a feeding tube since birth and a tracheostomy tube since his diagnosis. His parents were told he would never walk, be able to hear or go to school. Gage is now five years old, he walks, he can hear and just graduated from preschool. In the fall, he’ll be heading off to Kindergarten. Amazing accomplishments for a child who has overcome impossibilities.

Unable to verbalize his wish, volunteer wish granters, Karen and Deb, worked with Gage, his family and with his school to discover his one true wish. Gage is obsessed with riding things and each time ideas were presented to him he gravitated toward pictures with movement and rides.

Gage wished to go to Walt Disney World® Resort. Gage, his parents, Kelly and Tricia, his brother, Jackson, and his sister, Clara, traveled from snowy, cold Jamestown to sunny Florida for his wish. They stayed at Give Kids the World Village® and visited Magic Kingdom®, Disney’s Hollywood Studios™, SeaWorld® and a took a trip to the beach.

His mom, Tricia, says it was the first time he was able to ride amusement park rides and no one said “no” during his wish. In fact, Gage loved the rides so much that when they finished he would sign “more” over and over. He didn’t want to get off the rides. And, in true Make-A-Wish® fashion, he was able to ride his favorite rides over and over and over until he was ready to move on to something new. Everyone involved with making Gage’s wish come true was so welcoming and made the whole family feel special.

His favorite rides were the teacups-which he wanted to spin as fast as possible-and the 3-D rides. He loved the action and movement of rides like these.  

Seeing a constant smile on Gage’s face and knowing that he would be able to participate in whatever he wanted to while on his wish was a blessing for this family. Jackson and Clara loved being able to experience rides with Gage and they marveled at the fact that everyone knew Gage and treated them like they were famous! For Kelly and Tricia, the wish was the opportunity to have normalcy in their lives and witness the interaction among their three children that hadn’t been possible before. It was an emotional experience and strengthened the bond between siblings and the family as a whole.

A wish is a powerful thing. After Gage’s wish, his teachers noticed that he was more vocal, he was signing more and trying to speak. His wish changed his communication for the better and he wanted to share all the exciting details about his wish. The wish made him very happy.

Gage’s wish was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for him. It takes the support of many to make wishes like his come true. Gage’s wish was adopted by JakeStar’s Denim & Diamonds Gala.

Anyone can help make wishes come true. Consider a workplace giving fundraiser to be a part of making wishes come true. Organize a jeans day or host a bake sale; the possibilities are endless and your hard work will help make a child’s wish, like Gage’s wish, come true.

Learn more about workplace giving and how you can help.

All information and pictures are courtesy of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.