June 30, 2026 – Even though some time has passed, the emotional wound is still raw and the pain palpable for 17-year-old Gavyn Davis. It’s why when Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida presented a world full of possibilities for the wish it would grant him, he knew what the choice had to be.

“We had a dog before that we really loved but someone took her and I was heartbroken,” said Davis, a Port St. Lucie resident. “I really wanted another dog.”

That turned out to be “Nylaa,” a golden doodle puppy Make-A-Wish recently presented to Davis. The teenager, who struggles with the effect of lupus, instantly bonded with the newest member of the family and talked of the time they’d soon be spending at the neighborhood dog park.

“Gavyn’s been through a lot with his health and requires infusions once a month,” said Reneshia Johnson, Gavyn’s mother, about the ongoing treatment needed to manage the inflammation, flare-ups and potential organ damage associated with her son’s autoimmune disease. “Make-A-Wish gives children happiness and joy.”

The nonprofit organization does this by granting a life-changing wish for every critically-ill child referred to it, at no cost or obligation to the families that receive them. Its goal is to reach every medically-eligible in a 22-county area of southern Florida that also includes the U.S. Virgin Islands. “We believe wishes aren’t just nice, they’re necessary for kids and families at some of the most difficult times in their lives,” said Norman Wedderburn, president & CEO of Make-A-Wish Southern Florida (www.wish.org/sfla).

“Wish kids” most often ‘wish to be’ (something), ‘wish to meet’ (someone), ‘wish to go’ (somewhere), ‘wish to have’ (something) or ‘wish to give’ (to a cause). More than 15,000 children throughout the region have received wishes since 1983, making Southern Florida one of the most impactful of the 58 Make-A-Wish chapters in the U.S. (Information about referring a potentially-eligible child can be found at www.wish.org/refer-a-child).

Davis’ wish was underwritten through fundraising done by the Roofing Contactors Association of South Florida. Johnson says Nylaa arriving made her son “ecstatic” which, of course, brought her joy. “Make-A-Wish is an inspiration to others and we’re happy to be part of their family now. It’s been a blessing,” she said.

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