Athletes Make Dreams Come True for Kids with Critical Illnesses
By Movieguide® Contributor
MY WISH, a special series that makes the wishes of critically ill children come true, is returning to ESPN.
“The award-winning ESPN MY WISH series returns for its 17th season on Sunday, July 14, and will feature stars from the Olympics, NFL, MLB and NCAA,” a press release announced. “Since its beginning in 2006, the series has worked with Make-A-Wish to fulfill 83 sports-themed wishes for children with critical illnesses.”
The athletes involved in this year’s program include seven-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky, Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Duke Men’s Basketball, the San Francisco 49ers, and Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins.
Chris Connelly, host of MY WISH, expressed his gratitude for being part of the program.
“I’ve been part of MY WISH since its inception, and I’m still just amazed by the resilience, strength and optimism of the children and families whose stories we share. I think we’re all grateful for the chance to show these wishes restoring hope and happiness to those who’ve had to endure so much,” he said.
The series will air Sunday, July 14 at 8 a.m. ET and then at 7 a.m. ET on July 15-18.
The 49ers will meet with Levi, who’s finally in remission after a two-and-a-half-year battle with cancer on July 14. “The team rolls out the red carpet – literally – to welcome the Kentucky native,” said the press release.
On July 15, Ledecky will meet with Laura, who says “swimming is a core part of her personality.”
“A cancer diagnosis sidelined the active 10-year-old, and she needed surgery to remove a mass above her knee, which required her to learn how to walk again,” ESPN revealed. “For her wish, Laura wanted to meet seven-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky and spend time in the pool together.”
Bradee, who suffered from a chronic kidney disease for five years, saw his dream to “attend a Duke Basketball game in Durham, NC and see his beloved Blue Devils take on their biggest rivals, the North Carolina Tar Heels” come true. Catch his story on July 16.
On the 17th, Christian Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is meeting with 15-year-old Yisroel who “is on a transplant list and needs to give himself shots to overcome the impacts of his disease. For his wish, the South Florida native wanted to spend time with his favorite NFL team and meet Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.”
The series also sees “Gunnar, an 11-year-old with a respiratory disorder, [play]…catch with his favorite player, Freddie Freeman, before taking the mound at Dodgers Stadium to throw out the first pitch,” Make-A-Wish revealed.
“The power of the MY WISH series lies in the beautiful way that ESPN honors these wish kids and their families by letting them share their inspiring stories with viewers,” said Leslie Motter, president and CEO, Make-A-Wish America. “Once viewers hear what these families have dealt with and overcome, they can start to see the critical role a wish plays in restoring hope, joy and a sense of normalcy to families.”
Movieguide® previously reported on John Cena, who holds the record for making the most Make-A-Wish wishes come true:
John Cena can add a new title to his list of accolades: the WWE star and actor was just named the Guinness World Record holder for the most wishes granted through the Make-A-Wish foundation.
Cena made wishes come true for 650 children. He started working with the foundation in 2002, and has been the leading wish-granter for years. Make-A-Wish stated that no other person has granted more than 200 wishes in their 42 year-history.
Make-A-Wish also shared that Cena is the most requested celebrity.
“If you ever need me for this ever, I don’t care what I’m doing, I will drop what I’m doing and be involved because I think that’s the coolest thing,” Cena said of his long partnership with Make-A-Wish. “I just drop everything.”