| Joshua Koons and his brothers have the time of their lives at Dr. Suess Landing at Universal’s Island’s of Adventure in Orlando Florida
 Joshua Koons had never spent a night away from home, but with the generous help of Make-A-Wish volunteers, his first nights outside his own bed were ones to remember.
In January, Joshua’s traveled with his family to Orlando Florida to play at all of the major theme parks in the area and stay at the Give Kids The World Village, a special resort built just for families who are in the Orlando area for their wish of a lifetime.
Joshua along with his two brothers, Galvin and Jake, loved Aladdin’s Magic Carpet Ride, the Jungle Cruise, Dr. Seuss Land and meeting and getting pictures with many Disney characters. They were also most impressed (as boys often are) with the the food at Give Kids the World, provided entirely free of charge to the families. “It was very important to the boys,” said Joshua’s Mom.
“You know, to us a Disney/Orlando wish seems sort of routine,” says Brett Ridge, CEO of the Iowa Chapter. “I mean we provide dozens of them each year. But for the families who get to go, and especially the wish children, it’s anything but routine. It’s something that they will simply never forget.
Now for us, the special part of each wish is the kid, and their family and the fun we have in hearing just how much fun they had.”
Joshua’s mom writes, “What an awesome thing for him and our family, everything about our trip was amazing from our stay over in Minnesota, our flight, arriving at Give Kids the World, and our stay; there was definitely nothing missed down to every single detail!”
While Joshua’s parents were quite nervous about traveling with him, they tell us that the Make-A-Wish staff and volunteers were very patient and reassuring. They took care of everything, making sure that all of Joshua’s special needs would be met. So by the time the Koons were ready to leave, they were also able to leave their cares behind. They felt completely at ease and knew that this trip would be a miracle full of many heartfelt memories.
And there is no question that they were correct. Along with their 300 pictures, stories, and souvenirs the Koons brought home memories of five gorgeous days in the sun that were nothing short of the time of their lives.
In celebration of their wonderful trip, the Koons wish to thank everyone involved with making Joshua’s dream come true. “Our hats off to all who made this trip come true for us; it is so humbling how so many people come together as one just to find a smile in return for a thank you!”
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