Wish Stories
We’ve granted over 3,300 wishes
Lydia has a Czech Themed Party
94 year-old Lydia L. of Brookdale Olney was born in Wilbur, Nebraska in a heavily Czech community. Her parents were Czech immigrants and they grew up in extreme poverty; she was dirt poor most of her childhood. They were so poor that getting a single orange on...
Ruth Visits Family
Ruth 74, of Colorado & Marian, 85, of Oregon are siblings that had not seen each other in 24 years. The sisters wished to be reunited with their 3 other living siblings in Brainerd, MN. The last time the whole family recalls being together at the same time and...
Isabella reunites with her sisters after 50 years
Isabella W., age 74, has a remarkable life story that truly embodies the adage, “Whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.” Isabella was born in Dubuque, Iowa, the oldest of three girls. Her incredible life story, so sad and riveting, is one of tremendous...
Darlena Attends MegaFest
Darlena C. (70) of Denver, CO is a very loving and caring older adult who was diagnosed with Lymphedema and Graves disease in 2002. Darlena never thought she herself would become disabled someday as she served in the air force, worked as a law enforcer and served...
Retired Colorado Air National Guardsman Takes Flight With Daughter For The First Time
92-Year-Old Bill has been passionate about planes his entire life. Bill spent his career with the Federal Aviation Administration and was a member of the Colorado Air National Guard. While working for the FAA, Bill was a technician and owned his own plane, a red...
Mary Lou Teaches an Art Class
Mary Lou, 89, has been passionate about creating works of art since she was ten years old. Art has always been a meaningful way for Mary Lou to escape and feel productive. When her and her husband were living in Cincinnati, Ohio, Mary Lou was very active in helping...
Mildred, 93, rides a motorcycle for the first time
Mildred is a 93 year old resident of Brookdale Reidsville in North Carolina who has lived in the south for her entire life. Mildred grew up on a farm and then worked at the America Tobacco Company for 40 years. Mildred worked very hard in her life until she retired at...
Angelina reunites with the memory of her late husband in DC
Angelina D. is a 91 year-old resident of Brookdale Cordova in Tennessee, who was a credit manager at a local Jewelry store for almost four decades. Angelina balanced her career with her commitment to family and was dedicated to giving back to her community. Angelina...
DC Vets Trip Summer 2017
On June 22nd, Wish of a Lifetime sent 8 veterans to Washington, D.C. 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...
Anne Celebrates Her Love of Ireland
Anne, 85, spent most of her life volunteering. She was very active in her three daughters’ lives. She volunteered with the Girl Scouts for fifteen years acting as the chairman for her district. She oversaw hundreds of young girls in dozens of Girl Scout troops...
Noreen attends Travelers Championship and meets Rory McIlroy
According to those that know her, Noreen, age 77 of Brookdale West Hartford, is a “sweet, amazing woman” with an undeniable passion for golf. At 23 years old, Noreen immigrated from Ireland to the United States. She traveled alone and had no family in the United...
Brother and Sister Reunite After 28 Years
A story of reunited siblings! Brother Angel reunited with sister Maria for the first time in person after 28 years apart.
Louise Visits Sister in San Diego
Louise, 88, currently resides at Brookdale Parkplace in Denver, CO. For many years her husband, Lou, served in the US Army Air Corp (US Air Force) which took the family across the United States regularly and even to Japan for 4 years. Being on the road traveling from...
Ginny Rides in a NASCAR Race Car
Ginny S., 86, from Brookdale Bradenton in Bradenton, FL, was born in the small farming community of Hudson, NH. When she was 16 years old, the community of Hudson built and opened a racetrack. There was only one race held a week on Sunday afternoon, but Ginny and her...
Wilhelmina Visits her Brother’s Grave
Wilhelmina E., 81, from Brookdale Columbia in South Carolina, grew up the youngest of 5 kids. Wilhelmina’s father was a traveling salesperson, so her brother, Brinson, not only served as a good friend but also father figure. Wilhelmina recalls Brinson as a “prankster”...
