North Carolina Resident Spars with UFC Fighter as Wish Comes True
COCONUT CREEK, Fla., July 13, 2023 – Make-A-Wish and ESPN have joined forces once again for the 16th edition of the “My Wish” series that airs on SportsCenter. The multi-day series will highlight four inspirational stories of children with critical illnesses whose wishes to meet their sports heroes provided them with hope and strength in the midst of their medical battles. One of those children is Alden Cary, a 17-year-old from Davidson, North Carolina that has battled cancer and whose wish to meet UFC Lightweight Dustin Poirier was recently granted. The talented team at ESPN was able to capture everything from the initial surprise when Alden learned his wish was coming true to the life-changing day when he had a private audience with Dustin at American Top Team in South Florida.
The “My Wish” series kicks off on Sunday, July 16, during the 8 a.m. ET airing of SportsCenter. The first feature will continue to be shown during successive SportsCenter programs until 6 p.m. ET on Monday, July 17. From Monday until Wednesday, July 19, a new feature will be released at 6 p.m. ET each evening and continue to run on SportsCenter for 24 hours. Subject to change, Alden’s feature is expected to premiere Tuesday, July 18.
In addition to Alden and Dustin, this year’s roster of wish kids, star-studded athletes and teams includes:
- Eli, a 6-year-old with a heart condition, who earned a spot in the dugout alongside Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels
- Brixton, a 6-year-old with leukemia, who practiced his touchdown dances with Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase
- Caleb, a 20-year-old with cancer, who took the field alongside quarterback Josh Allen and the rest of the Buffalo Bills
“The ‘My Wish’ series gives ESPN viewers an inside look at the power wishes have to transform the lives of wish kids, their families and everyone involved,” said Norman Wedderburn, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Southern Florida, the chapter that assisted Make-A-Wish Central and Western North Carolina and hosted the Cary family on their visit. “It’s always a privilege to work with the best-in-class storytellers at ESPN to share these inspiring and uplifting stories with their audience.”
A digital version of each “My Wish” story will be available on the ESPN and Make-A-Wish websites. As he has since the first year of the series, Emmy-award winning reporter Chris Connelly brings these stories to life through insightful and compelling interviews with the wish kids and their families. “I have been part of ‘My Wish’ since the beginning and, even after all that time, am always humbled by the incredible perseverance of the kids and families we profile,” said Connelly. “It’s an honor to tell stories about renewing hope through one special moment.”
Make-A-Wish extends its thanks to Disney and ESPN for their support of the “My Wish” series as part of The Walt Disney Company’s commitment to delivering joy and comfort to children with critical illnesses and their families. Beyond assisting with this year’s series, Disney – which owns ESPN – has been a steadfast friend of Make-A-Wish for 43 years and has helped the organization grant more than 150,000 Disney-related wishes, including the very first official wish.
For more information about Make-A-Wish and the ESPN “My Wish” series, visit wish.org/mywish.
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida has granted nearly 14,000 life-changing wishes since 1983 for children who have critical illnesses. It aims to grant a wish for every medically-eligible child in its territory and understands wishes aren’t just nice, they’re necessary for kids and families at some of the most difficult times in their lives.
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) and the nonprofit organization makes this happen for the child and his/her entire family at no cost or obligation.
The Southern Florida chapter’s territory includes 22 counties/four regions in southeast and southwest Florida, on the Suncoast, and around Tampa Bay. It also includes the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Follow and engage with Make-A-Wish Southern Florida on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
