Wish Stories

Hella, 86, from Brookdale Freedom Pointe Clare Bridge, was born in Kiev, Russia in 1930. Hella started her training as a classical ballerina when she was eight years old. At the age of ten, Hella moved to Germany and danced professionally with a Berlin ballet troop...

Lysle Pietsch is a 94-year-old Air Force Veteran who saw active duty during his service in WWII. Beyond Lysle’s service to our country, he has created a wonderful life for his wife Jayne and his family. If you asked him what his most significant accomplishment was,...

For over 50 years, Phyllis, 86, from Brookdale has been following the sport of Basketball. She loves watching one team in particular- the University of Kansas Jayhawks, which prompted her Wish of a Lifetime to attend a Jayhawks game with her beloved friend Eleanor....

Stanley “Stan," 86, has been a musician since he was a child. At 5 years old, Stanley was learning how to play the piano for the first time. By the time he was 7 he was learning intricate pieces of music, and later he went on to become a, “baby prodigy." After only 7...

Nick is known in his Brookdale community as the "dancing man." He relishes every opportunity to dance, and encourages others to do the same. He tried to teach the employees at his community how to ballroom dance, but they struggled to keep up with his advanced...

94-year-old Lee Lanzen lives in the Westlake Village Brookdale community. He is a veteran who served in the Navy Air Corps for ten years, including several years during World War II. Lee flew a Corsair Fighter Aircraft for a short time, but due to his exemplary flying...

Olive Horrell, 97, has an innate desire to learn everything she can about the world around her. Born in the rural town of Valentine, Montana, Olive grew up without electricity or indoor plumbing. She vividly remembers traveling by horse and buggy and how the only...

Barbara H., 82, has been a dance-enthusiast all her life. She loves dance in any and every capacity, whether it’s teaching, performing, or just watching. Barbara worked as a ballroom dance instructor and spent her spare time practicing her own skills up until two...

When Paul first visited Rocky Mountain National Park in 1938, he fell in love. So much so that he has returned every year for over seven decades. As his 102nd birthday approached, Paul’s Wish of a Lifetime was to return to Rocky Mountain National Park for the 77th...

Howard is a youthful 96-year-old that resides at the Brookdale San Jose in California. He has always been passionate about music and dreamed of one day seeing a musical. Howard’s Wish of a Lifetime was to see the Beach Blanket Babylon in San Francisco, and we were...

To so many of us, the ability to indulge our passions is something we take for granted. But for Monica, 65, returning to the ocean to scuba dive seemed nearly impossible. At the young age of 50, Monica suffered a stroke that left the entire left side of her body...

Brent received his Wish of a Lifetime when he finally returned to Southern California to visit the happiest place on Earth, Disneyland. Though Brent calls Klamath Falls home, he is originally from Southern California, and longed to return to see old friends and...

Margery Rose, 94, of Troy, Ohio, reflects that she has always felt inclined to help others. She served as a First Lieutenant in the Nurse Corps in World War II from 1943-1945. Margery was stationed in England “right on the front line” and kept busy for those two years...

Frank Crowley, 95, of West Hartford, CT, is a dedicated World War II veteran and a car enthusiast. His Wish of a Lifetime was to attend a local car show to celebrate his passion for cars. During World War II, Frank served as a sergeant in the Air Force where he worked...

“I am a good fisherman…..If I have to brag.” Those are the words of 101 year old Ruth Flickinger. Ever since she married her late husband, an avid fisherman, she was competing with the boys in the family for the biggest fish every time they went out together. Ever the...