Make a wish and do as dreamers do – local child gets her wish
MANISTIQUE — Wishes do come true in the UP. After facing trial after trial a local three-year-old gets the trip she wished for. ABC 10’s Sarah Mac has more in an exclusive story with the family.
As the song goes, when you wish upon a star, it makes no difference who you are, anything your heart desires will come to you. That’s the goal of Make-A-Wish Michigan, to grant wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses and bring them their heart’s desires. Here in the UP a wish was just granted to Jocelyn Peterson, a three-year-old Manistique native. Her mom says that Jocelyn was born with congenital heart failure. This trip is a much needed reprieve for the family since for a while they only traveled for treatments.
Jocelyn’s Mom Hillary Peterson says, “It’s going to be great to get away. It’s been, since she was diagnosed with her heart defect, and she had heart surgery when she was four months old, it’s just been a whirlwind of doctor’s appointments and medicines, and recently she was just battling endocarditis, and she had a pick-line for several weeks. We were down at U of M for two weeks, and then home for six weeks with the pick-line and lots of medicine, and she’s been a trooper. She’s a very tough little girl.”
Tuesday night the family had a surprise going-away dinner to celebrate the trip on behalf of local businesses and friends. Thursday morning finally came and Jocelyn was on her way with her mom, Hillary, dad, Shaun and older brother, Nathan to famous theme parks in Orlando, Florida. Friday, August 28 is her birthday and she gets to meet her favorite queen and princess.
Jocelyn says, “I want to meet Elsa,”
Her mom added, “You get to meet Elsa tomorrow on your birthday, tomorrow in the morning. What else besides meeting Elsa?”
Jocelyn says, “Meeting Ana.”
“Meeting Ana,” Her mom added.
The trip allows the entire family to have a little silly time, and have some fun even with me in the airport. Jocelyn’s Brother Nathan Peterson says, “This has nothing to do with anything at all: Higgly-diggly-hoogan.”
After six months of wishing and planning, Jocelyn and her family are finally on their way to Orlando, and they’ll return sometime next week.
If you would like to nominate a child or would like more information about Make-A-Wish Michigan click here.