Misstropolis

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Make a Wish, Share a Dream

by Blair Van Brunt

Email to a friendPrint this article

Excitement! Elation! We’re about to accompany Gracie on her first ever limo ride. It’s 5:15am, June 15, 2007. The limo will whisk our whole family (even the 14 and 18 year old siblings) to the airport for our early morning flight to Los Angeles. Six days and five nights - we are about to embark on a magical journey.

Most people have heard of the Make a Wish Foundation in one way or another, but have never had any more to do with it than reading a billboard or flipping past a magazine ad. Most people don’t have contact because they don’t have a child or family member with a life threatening disease. We do; our daughter Gracie was diagnosed with a rare, genetic disease called Shwachman Diamond Syndrome at age 2. She spent the next six years in and out of the hospital battling life-threatening complications. Thankfully she is quite healthy now, and is living the life of a regular 12 year old.

Our trip to Los Angeles however, was anything but regular. Here is our story.

During the spring of 2006 we received a mailer from the M.A.W.F. which caught Gracie’s eye. Her wish, because she has an unstoppable passion for singing, was to meet and sing with America’s first Idol: Kelly Clarkson. Her envelope left with the mail, the wish was made; we thought that was that. But one year later an envelope came back with a note saying her wish was granted. I still get chills thinking about it. Her wish came true. M.A.W.F. made it all happen.

Monday, June 19th Gracie had her second ever limo ride to a sound studio in Burbank for a Yahoo-sponsored Kelly Clarkson event. Special passes got us seats on a cluster of comfy couches that looked right onto the set where Kelly and her band would play and then answer questions from fans. Our Foundation liaison (who was SO nice, even to us regular folks!) told us 250 other fans would be allowed in. (They didn’t get couches though; they all had to stand at the base of the stage and spill out towards the back the exit!).

Although it was considered a “mini concert,” there were enough screaming and waving fans to make us feel like we were in a stadium. Just before the show, a producer came over and asked Gracie if she would like to ask Kelly a question in the “Fan Q&A.” Yes! she beamed with excitement, as I, merely a prop and a cheerleader at this point, imploded with pride and thankfulness. As a techie lowered the mike for Gracie, Kelly told her she was “adorable - and I love your dress!” It is true what everyone says about Kelly Clarkson – she is sweet to her fans.

Kelly came over to our family after meeting two other Make A Wish children. She was gracious and bubbly. As I wrote in my thank you note to her later, she made us feel that she was there to see us and not visa versa.

After a few minutes of autographs and chit chat someone told Kelly that Gracie could sing. She was shy at first – who wouldn’t be?! But Kelly’s coaxing helped Gracie get started. She sang Bonnie Raitt’s, “People are Talking” and I nearly burst into tears hearing her beautiful voice. The room went silent except for Gracie belting out the familiar tune; techies, roadies, even executives came around corners to see where the voice was coming from. When she finished, even Kelly was in shock. “You can really sing!” she exclaimed, and applause filled the sound stage. It was a magical moment for all of us. Slowly we found our way back to the limo and to the hotel. We had a whole week to re-live it.

That’s the story the Make A Wish Foundation helped make happen for us. They like to say “Share the power of a wish.” When I think back to Gracie’s strong, brave voice that night, singing for not just Kelly, not just for the other people there, but for all the other kids with wishes, I know the power they speak of, and I know it’s a magical one to share.

To see a video of Gracie singing for Kelly visit Yahoo’s Music Section, search for Kelly Clarkson and scroll down to the Kelly Meets a Fan video.

To donate to the Make a Wish Foundation, click here
or to see Seven Ways to Help, click here