Make A Wish Monday (on Tuesday): 3rd Edition!

[Before I start, I just really want to say thank you for all your heartfelt comments on my pour your heart out post last week. I will update tomorrow, but everything ended up working out.]

So, Make A Wish Monday is coming a little late this week. It's been a busy week, but I have a really cool story to share this week and lots of new info about the Make-A-Wish Foundation so I didn't want to skip it this week! So without further ado... Meet Christopher!

If you can't tell from his picture, Christopher's wish was to be a police officer. Christopher's story is so cool because he inspired what we all know today as the Make-A-Wish Foundation!

In 1980, Christopher was 7 years old and was being treated for Leukemia. Tommy Austin was a family friend, and also an officer for US Customs. He knew of Christopher's dream of becoming of a police officer, and when his health got worse Tommy planned a day for Christopher to lift his spirits with the help of his friend Ron Cox, an Arizona Department of Public Safety Officer.

On April 29, 1980 Ron Cox and some of the other officers brought Christopher to them, gave him a tour of the city in a helicopter, flew him to headquarters where three police cruisers and motorcycle officer greeted him. He then had a meeting with the DPS staff, where he was sworn in as the first honorary DPS patrolman in state history. They even presented him with his own uniform, and gave him the motorcycle proficiency test (on a battery operated motorcycle) so he could earn wings to put on his uniform.

When he went back into the hospital May 2, he requested his room be arranged so he could always see his uniform, his motorcycle helmet and his hat. A DPS officer came to the hospital to present Christopher with his motorcycle and his smile "lit up the room".

Christopher passed away the next day, but not before his dreams were made a reality. After seeing the joy fufilling Christopher's with created, his mom and two of the DPS officers who met Chris were inspired to create an organization that brought that joy to other children. Thus, the Chris Greicius Make-A-Wish Memorial (now known as the Make-A-Wish Foundation) was born!

Next week, read about the very first "official" Make-A-Wish Kid! His story is really awesome, just like Christopher's!

I also wanted to share that the Make-A-Wish Foundation's World Wish Day is at the end of this month, April 29! For more info, make sure you check out their website.