Wish Stories
We’ve granted over 3,300 wishes
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”...
Pauline Finally Gets a Boat Ride With Her Son
Pauline, 92, has been giving back to her community since the young age of 19 after marrying and enlisted soldier. Her husband was stationed in Europe during World War II, leaving newly wed Pauline alone in her hometown of Kansas City, Missouri. “This was the hardest...
104 Year-Old Howard “Mac” Takes to the Skies
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...
Patsy goes to Florida to see the Ocean
Patsy Henderson, 80, from Brookdale Carmel, and her husband of 46 years raised their three daughters in Frankfort, Indiana. When the girls were growing up, the family frequently visited Daytona Beach. Patsy and her daughters have fond memories of being together as a...
Bill and Ev Turn Up The Heat in Birmingham, Alabama
Bill and Everett, 87 and 88 respectively, are two positive men who met while their wives were ill at their Brookdale community. Bill and Everett immediately became friends and have supported each other through good times and bad times ever since. Bill spent his entire...
Edward Takes Train Ride with his Wife Clois
Edward G. (89) of Brookdale Galleria Woods is a World War II veteran that began to love trains at a very young age and that love continued much into his adulthood. Edward began collecting trains around the age of 7 years old and he later joined the National Model...
