Wish Stories

Edmund “Ed,” 96, was enlisted in the United States Navy when he was about 20 years old. Ed spent over 20 years serving his country and was able to attain the rank of Chief Boatswain Mate by the time he was discharged around 1961. He spent 6 months of every year on a...

Alvin D., 93, from Brookdale Bath in Akron, Ohio, is a proud US veteran. Alvin served in the Navy during WWII and escorted vessels to the British Isles. Although Alvin and his crew were often an easy target for submarine attacks, they were never hit. Alvin said “I...

On June 22nd, Wish of a Lifetime sent 8 veterans to Washington DC on a group trip to see the memorials erected in their honor. Most of the group traveled out of Denver, CO and were given a special send-off from the Wish of a Lifetime team and Davita volunteers. The...

Howard “Mac” M. is a dedicated family man, a proud veteran, and a motorcycle enthusiast. The 104 year-old WWII Veteran resides at Brookdale Hamilton in New Jersey. His Wish of a Lifetime was to celebrate his service with the Civil Air Patrol by taking to the skies...

Roger D., 95, immediately joined the Navy after he heard that the Japanese had hit Pearl Harbor. Roger was in the middle of pursuing his college degree when the call to duty came, and he dropped everything to defend his country. Roger soon became a pilot in the Navy,...

91 year-old Charlie G. of Brookdale Freedom Village is one of those guys that knows everyone and is loved by everyone. Charlie isn’t just a part of his community, he is the heart & soul of Brookdale Freedom Village. Charlie’s Wish of a Lifetime was to finally get...

Barbara T., age 75, a veteran and mother, is a true staple of resilience and spirit. Barbara spent 13 years serving in the Army in Germany as one of the first African-American women to serve. As a gas pumper, Barbara was on the front line of duty as potential threats...

Les P., 94, from Brookdale Freedom Plaza in Peoria, Arizona, voluntarily joined the Marine Corps to become a fighter pilot after building B-25s in a factory during the start of WWII. After joining in 1942, Les worked on an aircraft carrier at Cherry Point, North...

91-year-old Jimbo Wandless, of Broadway, VA, proudly wears his Air Force hat in honor of his service and his Air Force crew during WWII. At 18 years old in 1943, Jimbo enlisted in the Air Force. During WWII, he served in the Eighth Air Force as a staff sergeant and a...

75 years after the attacks, Navy Veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor Mel returns to pay his respects and be recognized for his service.

Annette, 84, from Brookdale Waxahachie in Waxahachie, Texas, lost her husband, James, in 2014. The two were married for 61 years. A few years ago, Annette and James visited the National Museum of the Marine Corps. They walked the winding brick pathways to the rally...

From October 10-13, 2016, Wish of a Lifetime was honored to send 7 special older adults to Washington D.C. to see the nation's war memorials. The group was comprised of 5 veterans and 2 wives of veterans and represented veterans from WWII and the Korean War. The group...

97-year-old Blayne is an inspirational veteran who served our country selflessly during WWII and the Korean War. He grew up in Oklahoma and found tremendous value and promise in being a part of the United States Armed Forces. Blayne values and cherishes his past in...

At the age of 90, Jo is still haunted from her past after her husband returned from serving the United States Army on the “Manhattan Project” at the Trinity Atomic Bomb Site in New Mexico. As her husband departed from his mission, he was unaware of the assigned duty...

Rosie the Riveter serves as a traditional icon of the United States, representing working women during WWII. Lina Mae, 92, has achieved many accomplishments after becoming a Rosie at 18 years old. Her hard-working efforts were acknowledged, which allowed her the...