Bradley is a vibrant child who lives in the United Kingdom. Born with cystic fibrosis, he was granted a wish through Rays of Sunshine, one of our wish granting partners based in the UK. Without hesitation his one true wish was to visit a “splash park and giant pool.”
Four months ago, glistening fountains and child’s laughter could be found dancing across the Park of Dreams Pool at Give Kids The World Village. Now, as the fountains lay dormant and the Village is temporarily empty, we look ahead with a glimmer of hope to the day when we can say “Welcome Home” to wish kids like Bradley.
“He’s an amazing boy who never wants for much. We were completely blown away when [Rays of Sunshine] contacted us in June 2019 and told us they were sending us to your amazing Village in June 2020! We couldn’t believe it!” Said Lucy, Bradley’s stepmom. “We are a modest family and have never been able to afford a trip abroad for the seven of us.”
Every wish trip is an opportunity for families to make precious happy memories where critical illness had previously taken time and opportunity away. To laugh and play together, without the worry of illness is an invaluable treasure. And for Bradley’s family, the family memories were supposed to mean even more.
“COVID-19 interrupted so much for us. We were due to get married on May 2, 2020 and so this trip was even more than a wish trip, it was our family honeymoon too. We were due to be with you guys at Give Kids The World in June. It was the trip of an absolute lifetime that we have planned and waited for, for over a year,” said Lucy.
Bradley and family “on a 757” to the United States
The family is finding creative ways to keep hope alive for their future wish. On the day that they were set to fly across the Atlantic for Bradley’s wish – their first-ever family vacation in the US – they turned their living room into a 757 jet and soared through the skies of their imagination.
“We are feeling extremely lucky that Bradley is WELL ENOUGH TO WAIT.”
For every month the Village is temporarily closed due to COVID-19, more than 700 children like Bradley and their families learn that their life-changing wish is postpones. We remain committed to making sure the Village is ready to welcome our families home when the time is right, and hope you will consider supporting future wish families like Bradley’s.
Tags: wish family ·
