Wish Stories

Kathy A. is a resilient Denver native who wished to visit one of her city’s oldest public attractions. She’s faced numerous challenges throughout her life, but hasn’t let them hold her back from leading a constructive life and giving back to others. Kathy’s Wish of a...

James S. (88) has dreamed of going on a submarine for literally 80 years. When he was 8 years old he had a dream that he was on a submarine and was fighting the Japanese. Ever since, James has been fascinated by the idea of going on a submarine. He has also loved all...

Doris R., 89, from Brookdale Richmond Place in Lexington, Kentucky, has always loved to sing and dance. Growing up, Doris’ family could not afford dance lessons, so Doris would watch the famous Rockettes on TV. Ever since then, Doris has wanted dance with and be a...

Rebecca, 66, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma is a committed mother of four who involved herself in the community in whatever way she was able to. Rebecca always gave back to neighbors and community members in need. Currently, Rebecca is suffering from late stage liver...

Hillard Smith, 66, has lived in Alabama for his entire life. Mr. Smith worked hard to raise his four children alongside his wife Dora. Hillard spent time with his family and coached local high school football for many years. Hillard love interacting with young people...

Joyce, 94, has an eye for fashion. Always admiring and complimenting her fellow residents’ wardrobes, Joyce’s passion shines through in her everyday interactions. She even leads her community’s weekly ‘Fashion Trivia’ activity. "Fashion is a different world," she...

Mark, 67, of Boca Raton, Florida, has loved the Miami Dolphins for many decades. He has watched every Dolphins game for the last twenty years and continues to watch them at his Brookdale residence. Mark's connection to the Dolphins is quite special, and his weekly...

Dorothy, 88, from Brookdale Greenville in Greenville, Ohio, met her husband, Sam, 70 years ago in high school. Dorothy was a drum majorette, and when Sam saw her on the field he leaned over to his friend and said, “I’m going to marry those legs one day!” Soon after,...

Debbie, 68, has overcome a lot in her life. Being blind since birth, she has embraced the philosophy of making each day count. She has dedicated her life to reaching high and far to realize her goal of full inclusion in her version of the American dream. Through words...

Simon of Hutchinson, Kansas has always had a strong work ethic. He worked in Phoenix, Arizona for much of his life for the city’s water and sewage department. He spent many years in this occupation, working long hours to provide for his family, who are incredibly...

Helen, 90, currently resides at Brookdale Niles in Illinois. She was born and raised in Elmira, New York, but moved to the Chicago area about nine months ago to be closer to her family. Ever since the move, she has felt very out of place because the other residents...

84 year-old Bobbie grew up in small-town Texas. As she puts it, “I’ve never done anything out of the ordinary and I have never smoked or had a drink in my life.” Bobbie’s Wish of a Lifetime was to go to Nashville and see a country music concert at the Grand Ole Opry....

Although Albert, 89, and Esther, 80, resided in different areas of France during WWII, it proved to be a pivotal era in both of their lives. Being of Jewish decent, they were forced to flee their homes in order to survive. Since Albert is nearly ten years older than...

Robert, 84, from Brookdale Horizon Bay of Orange City in Orange City, Florida, is a lifelong New England Patriots fan. Robert was born, raised and spent his adult life in Nashua, New Hampshire. Nashua is on the border of Massachusetts, so the Patriots were the local...