Wishes Do Come True

For five years Emma has dreamt of surfing with the incredibly talented and inspirational Bethany Hamilton.  She has watched the movie Soul Surfer countless times and has even used Bethany's motto from the movie "I don't need easy, I just need possible" to encourage her in her own journey.  In February her dream became a reality.  Before I tell you about her once in a lifetime adventure, I want to explain how she became a wish child.

On January 2, 2008, at 18 months old, Emma was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, a genetic, life threatening, chronic illness.  People with CF over-produce salt, which causes a thick, sticky mucus to cover their lungs and other organs.  This incurable disease causes persistent lung infections, pancreatic insufficiency, trouble breathing, excessive mucus, along with many other challenges.  In 2016, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill discovered that Emma was suffering from a very concerning, and life threatening bacteria called Mycobacterium Abscessus (MABSC).  The treatment for this bacteria is extremely extensive and has required years of oral antibiotics and countless months on IV antibiotics.  The first round of treatments lasted a total of seven months of IV meds and nearly three years of oral meds.  Texas Children's Hospital gave Emma a five month break from the oral meds, only to discover the therapy was unsuccessful and needed to start again, but this time the treatment would be even more aggressive due to her becoming resistant to one of the medications.  

Towards the end of 2016, Emma was on a steady decline.  After a very emotional conversation with Emma's social worker in California, it was determined that Matthew and I should consider applying for Emma to have a wish granted through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  I'll be honest y'all, this mentally broke me down...Emma was only ten years old at the time. I expected to have this conversation when she was a teen, but this was too soon in my mind.  I will forever remember her social worker looking me straight in the eyes and saying, "Lisa, I know this is hard, but we feel this is the best time for Emma to have a wish granted.  With her current health conditions, we believe she will benefit from the opportunity to fully enjoy her wish before she declines further."  

My heart was conflicted, Matthew and I have a long history with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, as we were blessed to help fund raise for this amazing organization over 15 years ago, while working with my Mom at Kern Security, in Bakersfield, California.  I spent countless hours, with my Mom, in meetings with the Bakersfield chapter and heard amazing stories of wishes they had granted.  I remember fighting tears as they shared heartfelt wishes waiting to be granted.  At an event that we were hosting, Matthew dressed as the dashing Prince Charming, while I floated around with my bright red lips, pale skin, and hair as black as night, working hard to embrace my inner Snow White, so that I could love on every child I would encounter.  Together the employees that participated raised thousands of dollars to make dreams come true.  I have always been thankful for the opportunity to be a tiny part of helping make dreams come true, yet little did I know 15 year ago, that God was actually preparing our hearts for our future.  

In early 2017, I contacted our local MAW office to begin the process of having Emma's wish granted.  After completing the application, we waited to hear from them.  Matthew and I sat Emma down to hear her heart.  We wanted to know what her ultimate wish was, it was critical to us that every step of this process was about her and only her.  Our only request was that she picked something other than Disneyland, since we had Disneyland passes and she had been there numerous times.  We explained that this was her one chance to ask for ANYTHING.  It took her all of about three seconds to say, "I want to surf with Bethany Hamilton!!!"  Emma had been surfing several times with the Mauli Ola Foundation and loved everything about riding waves.  She had also watched the movie Soul Surfer and was enthralled by Bethany's story of overcoming a horrific shark attack.  The biggest bonus was the salt water being extremely therapeutic for her, so we embraced her new love of the ocean.

Months passed and I actually forgot we were waiting to hear from them, until one afternoon, while pumping gas into my little white Nissan Sentra,  my cell phone rang, the unfamiliar number caused a moment of hesitation, but I decided to answer the call.  On the other end was a sweet yet calm voice.  She introduced herself and explained that Emma was approved to have a wish granted and needed to schedule an interview with us.  This was the first step in granting her wish.  I stood at the Fastrip on the corner of Rosedale Hwy and Allen Road, in Bakersfield, and fought back tears.  The mix of emotions were so overwhelming.  I remember thinking "Is this really happening"!!

As the year drew to a close, our family relocated to Lago Vista, Texas and we had to put a hold on Emma's wish.  Her paperwork was transferred to the MAW office in Austin.  In February 2018, we sat down with Bri, Emma's wish granter.  Bri was as sweet as could be and spent time getting to know Emma and hearing her desire to meet Bethany.  She explained that Emma's wish would be transferred to the Hawaii Chapter and all the planning of her trip would be done by them.  She also explained that a celebrity wish was a little more challenging because the timing will be on Bethany's schedule.

Nearly one year later, on Sunday, February 10, 2019 the five us dressed in royal blue shirts donning the Make-A-Wish logo, boarded United Airlines flight 1829 headed to our first layover in Denver, Colorado.  Before departure, United Airlines allowed us to board first and took Emma and Ayva to meet the pilots.  Emma even sat in the pilot's seat and was able to put her hands on the yoke!!!  She was thrilled by this experience.  As the plane began to fill, our airline hostess brought snack boxes to the girls, along with extra treats for Matt and I.  Soon we were in the air, the short flight lasted two and half hours and then we were onto an eight hour flight to Lihue, Hawaii.  The flight was long, but time passed quickly as we watched movies and some even took a short nap.  Finally, Kaua'i was in sight.  With a slight turn of the plane a gorgeous rainbow appeared, my heart leaped in my seat.  As we were landing a double rainbow spralled out across the sky, I felt the tears wailing up in me.  All the challenges we have faced with Cystic Fibrosis seemed like a distant memory at that moment.  I felt like God was reminding me that He is present, and has full control over everything.  The feeling of peace that came over me was incredible.  

We were greeted with gorgeous flower leis by three of the Make-A-Wish Hawaii team, Abe, Angel and Janelle.  They were incredibly kind and filled with joy and I had no clue how they were about to change our lives.  

Abe, is an extremely talented photographer/videographer, social media buff, drone pilot, and all around kindhearted guy. He not only filled this experience with love, but he encapsulated the smiles, laughs, tears, and joys and put them together in a way that we will forever cherish.  He worked so hard to give us the gift of a lifetime of beautiful reflection.

Angel, oh Angel...her hugs were the amazing.  She made us feel loved, safe and special.  She was overseeing details upon details, but never showed an ounce of stress.  She's a Texas girl herself, born here but raised in Oklahoma.  She's a mama, a military wife, and a hero inside of a hero!  

James, our surfing guru came in with confidence and passion to make the wish girls surf experience flawless.  His compassion and apparent love for these girls was remarkable.  He was patient, kind, focused and charismatic.  He not only taught them how to surf, but how to realize they can accomplish greatness.

Finally there was Janelle, a native Hawaiian, who brought the aloha spirit to everything she did.  Her smile lit up any room she was in.  Her big embraces were filled with love, compassion and kindness.  She immediately became "Auntie" to the wish girls and loved them with all she had in her.  She not only shared her love with us, but also shared her lei making talents and Hawaiian Disney playlist!!  haha 

Once we arrived at the absolutely amazing hotel, we met James, the fourth MAW staff member and the three other wish families.  Alex, from Washington, Brinkley from Missouri, and Laken from Minnesota.  Each of these families were just incredible, I couldn't have asked for more amazing men and women to be part of this wish experience with us.  After a meeting, gifts to Emma, dinner, and a little sightseeing, we were all exhausted.  

Monday definitely started early. I opened the sliding glass door to our room and could hear the ocean roaring.  I walked to the edge of the grass to see a stunning sunrise and stood there speechless. Was I actually standing in Hawaii, preparing to see my CF Warriors wish come true??  This all felt like a dream!  We made our way to the meeting room for breakfast and Emma was greeted with a bag full of aloha from several incredible Hawaiian companies.  Janelle also taught the girls how to make lei po'o (flower crown).  We had some free time on Monday, so the girls were quick to run back to the room, put their bathing suits on, and test out the five spectacular pools including water slides at the hotel.  We then met up with Shari, an amazing local that blessed us beyond measure.  Shari is the niece of a member of my dad's church!!  Small world huh!!  She invited us to lunch, where we talked nonstop about life on the island, ministry, Make-A-Wish, and so much more.  Emma expressed wishing she had her Ukulele and we joked about needing an extra suitcase for all the amazing gifts Emma was receiving.  When we returned to our room, Shari had delivered both to our room.  That evening we met up with the rest of the wish families and the MAW staff for an unforgettable evening at the Sheraton Kaua'i Resort for the breathtaking Auli'i Luau!!!  The host of the luau was a former wish father and was not only entertaining but had a huge heart for our group.  Matt and the girls loved meeting him after the show.  

Tuesday was another early morning with an action packed day awaiting us.  Once again, I started my morning with opening the sliding glass doors so I could hear the soothing sounds of the ocean.  We were greeted with smiles and hugs from Abe, Angel, Janelle and James.  Emma was showered with more gifts and love from the generous hearts of the Hawaiian community.  After breakfast, we walked over to Shipwreck Beach, the private beach owned by the hotel.  We met Rochelle Ballard, a professional, World Champion surfer who is also considered the best female barrel rider in the world!  Over the past two decades, Rochelle has been a pioneer for the advancement of women surfers.  She is ranked among surfing history's most elite.  She also owns Surf Into Yoga.  Rochelle spent her morning with us teaching us the importance of yoga (for the record, she also made "whales breach in the distance" and rainbows appear. It may have just been a coincidence, but I'm pretty sure, all of us agree Rochelle has magical powers!!!).  After yoga, the surfing guru, James, taught the wish girls and families the basics of surfing.  Since Emma had prior surfing experience, James used her to help show everyone what to do.  Then it was off to the hotel's salt water lagoon for some "wave-less" practice runs.  During the fun, Emma was challenged to do a headstand on the surfboard while it was moving and she accomplished it!!  After the surf lesson it was time to load up and head to Backcountry Adventure Tubing!!  Y'all... holy cow were we in for a treat!!!  Once we arrived, signed all the release papers, and were fitted with helmets, gloves, and the essential crocs (don't even get me started on how silly I felt rocking these ugly, plastic, yet oddly comfortable shoes), we loaded up in vans and took off for an adventure in a two-plus mile, retired irrigation ditch on a sugar plantation near Mount Waialeale.  As we emerged ourselves into the "refreshing" waters, and plopped onto our large tubes, we had a few last minute instructions and off we went down the ditch.  Now I will back up to mention I said "refreshing" because they told us to never tell anyone how cold the water was...but bless the Lord, that water was icy, frigged, cold, downright freezing y'all!  My body still shivers at the thought of that "refreshing" water.  Our guide was quite an eclectic dude, that played a water proof ukulele nonstop during the next few hours.  I will admit, it was his talents that gave me a new love of the charming sounds of the Ukulele.  His rendition of Willy Wonka's Tunnel of Terror song as we plummeted into one of the five tunnels, was amazing.  As our experience came to an end, we longed for the warmth of our car, but were so incredibly grateful for this amazing opportunity.  Upon returning, we took quick showers, and rushed to dinner with the rest of the crew and had a scrumptious dinner with Bethany Hamilton's parents, brother, and sister-in-law.  After dinner, we returned to the hotel and had a private viewing of Bethany's new movie "Unstoppable"!  As we collapsed into our luxurious beds that evening, Matthew and I recalled our amazing day with amazement, joy and gratitude.

Wednesday would be the day dreams are made of.  On this day, I would witness joy I had never experienced.  On this day, Abe, Angel, James and Janelle went from Make-A-Wish Staff, to friends, miracle workers, and life changers.  These four amazing souls planned the most incredible day.  Their efforts, along with the incredible KORE Kaua'i Team led our wish kids and families in a magical Hanalei Bay experience that will forever be ingrained on my heart, mind, and soul.  Every detail was perfect, from the pop-up tents, to the food, to the music, to the gifts, everything was done with love, grace, and true aloha.  As we stood in the parking lot preparing for a day of surfing with the one and only Bethany, a black pick up truck pulled into the parking lot.  Out hopped the 5 foot 11 inch, blonde hair, blue eyed inspiration.  Sporting a plaid shirt, comfy black printed joggers, and a turquoise baseball cap.  Emma was standing nearby and walked over to the truck.  She greeted Bethany along with Angel and Alex, another wish gal.  She was able to give Bethany a hug and chat a tiny bit.  I stood back snapping some pictures and trying to keep myself from going into full ugly cry mode.  This was really happening!  My daughter, my hero, was standing in front of me hugging one of her heroes!!  I mean come on!!!  After a quick greeting and yoga session, the wish girls were taken to have some time with Bethany.  After the group time they each received some one-on-one time with her and Emma was able to ask her anything she wanted.  Emma wanted to know her favorite scripture and worship song, and how she moved past blaming God for her accident and was able to fully trust Him.  I was particularly impressed with her thought provoking question.  I wondered how my sweet warrior has had to push through this very question herself.  She has had to move past asking God why me, and has realized that she has value in this world.  That she may have Cystic Fibrosis but it definitely doesn't have her.  Emma's question to Bethany was giving more strength and power to Emma to keep walking in God's grace.  Bethany's answer was sweet and seasoned with God's love and biblical promises. After they talked we made our way to the ocean, about 100 feet away.  Emma was reunited with Kiana Fores, an incredible female surfer who lives on the island.  Kiana was the first person Emma ever surfed with!!  They were matched up in Santa Monica, California with the Mauli Ola Foundation five years earlier.  Here stood this gorgeous, kind-hearted young lady, ready and waiting to conquer the waves with Emma.  As they carried their board out into the salty waters, Bethany ran up to meet them...together the three of them paddled out in to the water.  I was positioned on the pier, while Matthew was in the water with our Go Pro.  Bethany, Kiana, and Emma were in place and when the first wave came their way, they paddled and began a ride that brought tears to my eyes.  Emma was surfing...surfing in HAWAII!!!  Not only was she surfing with the incredible, loving Kiana, but with Bethany right beside her.  I could hear the cheers of many in and out of the water.  I saw Matt jumping and cheering her on. It was such a beautiful moment!  I remember standing there in amazement of all Make-A-Wish Hawaii had done to make that day a possibility. As I was watching the day unfold a beautiful, sweet lady began talking to me about all that was going on. We just chatted away for awhile. Then she said “Oh by the way, I’m Sarah... The real Sarah. Carrie Underwood played me in the movie!” I stood there stunned for a second and told her how we had just been talking about her a few hours prior. I told her she had to meet the girls. We kept sharing our hearts, talking about life, youth ministry and the island. Once the girls came out of the water, they were able to meet Sarah. It was absolutely magical.  A few days later I read a post from Sarah Rachel Hill that said: “Sometimes we have to stop praying for healing and start praying for purpose. Submitting our wants and desires to God can be difficult, but aligning ourselves with His purpose...life changing. When the storms rage, God is in the midst of it.”  For years I have prayed to have God’s perspective in the midst of our trials, but I’ve never considered stopping to pray for His purpose instead of healing!!! What an amazing thought!!! 

Thursday: We met Abe, Angel and Janelle for our morning meeting, gift giving, and breakfast and reminisced about the day before.  Honestly, even now as I sit and write this blog I am still in awe of the MAW staff, Bethany Hamilton and her family, Kiana, the KORE team, and the generous people of Hawaii, who came together to make Emma's wish greater than we could have ever asked.  After some chatting, we received word that the surf was good and we headed back to Hanalei Bay for another day of surfing.  This was a more relaxed day and Abby and Emma loved every moment they could get in the water.  After some surfing, it was time to say goodbye to the people that gave us so much.  I won't try to act tough, I cried like a baby!!!  Saying Mahalo to this team that became friends and then family was not only impossible but it actually felt like a piece of my heart was being ripped out.  These four friends gave our family something we could never provide.  Not just a wish experience but a dream come true...a true, real once-in-a-lifetime experience.  They gave us fantasy, a fairytale, and a daydream that was real, tangible, and life changing.  After the tearful goodbyes we ventured to the businesses that were waiting to meet Emma and bless her with tons of free goodies.  We found a fish market near our hotel and enjoyed a great dinner and made our way back to our beds.  Our stomachs were full, our hearts were overflowing, and our emotions were all over the place.  

Friday, with sad hearts we packed up all our stuff and said goodbye to the beautiful hotel.  We headed to Lihue for our final adventure before flying back to Texas.  This one would take us through the clouds to see the island from an extra special view.  As we arrived at Sunshine Helicopters, we were all excited and nervous.  Ayva would fall asleep for part of the flight and Abby, well, she turned green!!  The motion of the helicopter caused her to struggle with motion-sickness.   Our pilot, Steve, was a decorated military veteran, who served our country as a pilot for many years.  To our surprise, he was also a pastor!!  I can't make this stuff up y'all!!  God is just that amazing.  As we took off he shared the island's history, but knowing our faith, he also shared the religious background also.  It was Steve, who explained that the island of Kaua'i is known as the island perpetuated in Christ's righteousness.  He also shared that Aloha isn't just saying hello/goodbye.  Aloha means "the breath of Christ within you"!  Let that sink in for a minute...how beautiful!!  As we flew over the Napali Coast, which is one of the most stunning things I've ever seen, I realized that this week wasn't just about granting Emma's wish.  This week was about God putting people in our path to breathe the breath of Christ into us.  We were there to receive the Aloha spirit from Make-A-Wish Hawaii, our new family members Abe, Angel, James and Janelle, the other wish families, Bethany Hamilton and family, the KORE Kaua'i team, Shari, Sarah, the numerous amazing photographers on the beach and in the water on surf day with Bethany, the hotel staff, and the generosity of the Hawaiian People.  Heck, even the dude that made us the most amazing cheese filled burgers out of a food truck in Kappa!!  

This trip was something we will cherish forever. The memories will get us through our hard days of fighting Cystic Fibrosis and the friendships will be our strength in weakness.  We truly received the gift greatest gift of... Aloha my friends and Mahalo!!

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