Wish Stories
We’ve granted over 3,300 wishes
Maggie Returns to Graceland
Maggie, a 66 year old native Texan, was born in Grand Prairie, TX, and raised in the greater Dallas area. At the age of eight, Maggie became a fan of Elvis Presley. For years, to the chagrin of her Baptist parents, she played his records, dancing around the house...
Pearl Harbor Survivor Takes to the Skies
Clarence, 94, of Brookdale’s Horizon Bay of San Marcos witnessed the “date which will live in infamy” on December 7th, 1941. Clarence, a Marine, arrived on Pearl Harbor on December 1st 1941. On December 6th, Clarence and two friends were given leave for a night on the...
Warren Sees His Farm From a New Perspective
Warren J., 93, of Clare Bridge in Troy, Ohio has always dreamed of a hot air balloon to take in the sights around his farming community. After looking at hot air balloons on an In Touch machine at his community, his face lit up, and he knew it would be a Wish of a...
Dr. R Celebrates his Jewish Heritage
Dr. Solomon R., 93, of Boynton Beach Florida realized early in his life that he was blessed with a wonderful singing voice. He became a Cantor, a religious official who performs sacred music during services, in his synagogue. However his true passion was medicine. He...
Ellen Visits Chickasaw National Park
For Ellen W., 85, of Sterling House in Wichita Falls, TX, family picnics are a long-standing family tradition. Almost every year for the past 35 years, Ellen and her family have taken a family trip to the Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Oklahoma, to camp and...
Roy has VIP visit to Washington, D.C.
Roy, 90, of Springfield, Ohio, is an inspiring example of the Greatest Generation. Brookdale and Wish of a Lifetime commemorated Roy’s service by sending him and his son, Bill, to Washington D.C. to visit the War Memorials for the first time. Drafted into the Army in...
Trudy Mows the Lawn for her 100th Birthday
Gertrude, or Trudy, is 100 years old and still full of life. After a century, her passion for gardening and yard work has hardly waned. Trudy’s son put it best when he said, “My parent’s idea of family fun was doing yard work. Our yard always looked like a golf...
Arlene Spends Special Family Weekend in NYC
Arlene Z., 83, of Woodmere, NY has devoted her life to helping others improve their own lives. She began her 40-year educational career as a teacher and moved into school administration, retiring after serving as the Vice Principal at Lawrence Middle School in Long...
Ann Soars Over Boulder, CO
Ann G., 81, has been always been an active member of her community. After retiring from her job as an art teacher, she has used her free time to raise money for various charities, knit for different organizations, and help out around her community. Ann also enjoys...
Mary Takes to the Skies
Mary spent most of her childhood and teenage years dreaming about flying. She was the last of her group of friends to get her driver’s license – she was too busy angling for a way to get in the cockpit. She set her sights on joining the military as a service pilot...
Ernie Visits Normandy for the 70th Anniversary of D-Day
Ernie C., 88, is a remarkable Navy Veteran and a true American hero. At 17 years old, he joined the U.S. Navy, and was sent to Europe just weeks later during the height of hostilities and shortly before the invasion of Normandy. His Wish of a Lifetime was to return to...
Patricia Hits the Airwaves
Born in the quaint town of McAlester, Oklahoma in 1927, Patricia made an enduring mark on Jim, a young, dashing broadcaster from Castle Oklahoma. From their first meeting in a local café, to their wedding on September 2, 1947, Jim and Pat set out on an adventure. Jim...
Dot Learns to Play Piano
Dorothy “Dot” H., 86, of High Point Place in High Point, NC, has had a passion for music since she was a child. Growing up during the Great Depression as the eighth of ten children, she unfortunately never had the chance to learn about her favorite instrument—the...
Regina Rides in a Hot Air Balloon over the Flatirons
Regina is a lovely 90-year-old woman who lives in Westminster, Colorado. Her Wish of a Lifetime was to take a ride in a hot air balloon over the famous flatiron mountains in Boulder, Colorado. Regina says that she has always gotten the best feeling from doing things...
Bill Meets Jack Nicklaus
Bill S., 83, is an active and energetic older adult whose lifelong love of golf continues into his golden years. Bill plays golf three times a week, weather permitting, and still walks the nine holes when he plays. Bill’s wish was to meet Jack Nicklaus, who has been...
