Shopping Spree Wish to Welcome the New Year- 2012

Everyone makes seemingly impossible resolutions for the New Year, but there is one thing we can all aspire to do and accomplish: be thankful. Jose’s Wish is such a great example of how we can take simple things, like a local shopping trip, for granted.

Jose was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He is still undergoing chemotherapy but has a great support team! His older and younger sisters make him laugh constantly and his parents are very in-tune with how he is feeling.
Jose wished to have a local shopping spree around the Oklahoma City area. His wish was granted January 29, 2012. From the moment he and his family got into the limousine, Jose never stopped smiling.

First stop was Best Buy. His wish granter, Caroline Barrow said, “We knew he wanted a laptop and a Wii. He was so excited, and I think a little overwhelmed.” Best Buy did a wonderful job including Jose’s parents as a bilingual employee translated everything along the way. The translator was so helpful and Jose had so much fun shopping with her! After picking out his laptop they went to have lunch at Golden Corral. He had a blast spending time with his family and ordering lots of dessert with his sisters!

Next was Wal-Mart! When Jose arrived, the store manager greeted him along with many employees who had lined up at the door. Kianna Witt, his other wish granter shared, “We got to walk through…it was like a victory tunnel! They were all clapping and cheering! They were the most genuine, sweetest people you could ever imagine.” After opening his Wii and shopping for some DVDs, Jose was ready to visit Game Stop.
“They [Game Stop employees] gave Jose a personalized employee nametag and he was picking out games left and right!” Kianna said.

Caroline shared, “It was neat to watch these children translate for their parents and for us during the wish. The employee at Best Buy was also very helpful when it came to explaining purchases of large electronics.” Make-A-Wish® Oklahoma is always looking for bilingual volunteers to assist in whishes such as Jose’s. (Contact us if you are interested in helping.)

At the end of his shopping spree, Jose was speechless. All he could do was smile from ear to ear. Caroline and Kianna said that the best part of granting Jose’s wish was, “getting to see him light up. There are things that we take for granted, like going to Wal-Mart, that he just was so ecstatic about.”

Thank you to Paris Limousines, Best Buy, Golden Corral, Wal-Mart and Game Stop for helping make Jose’s wish come true. To watch actual footage from Jose’s wish, visit our YouTube page!