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PHOTO: Main Street at the Magic Kingdom, from left, Victor Garay, Kobe Garay, 9, Layla Garay, 5, Jordan Garay, 7, and Amanda Garay. (Submitted photo)
By Mark Huard
WINSLOW — Seven-year-old Jordan Garay, born with a heart defect, and several family members recently traveled to Walt Disney World, courtesy of the Make A-Wish foundation.
Jordan was born with a heart defect requiring him to have a pacemaker inserted at just nine days old. His family was very familiar with Make-A-Wish; his grandmother, Cathy Langlais, is a long-time wish granting volunteer, having worked with dozens of wish kids over the years.
From an early age, Jordan knew he wanted to go to Walt Disney World for his wish. He especially wanted to visit Legoland and dreamed of staying in Give Kids the World Village, a nonprofit partner on 89-acres in Kissimmee, Fla., where all “wish kids” stay during their local wish trips. This whimsical resort is a favorite for wish families who travel to Florida.
Jordan found out his wish would be granted in a very special way. He and his family attended a Portland Sea Dogs game, where he was called onto the field and learn the good news in front of the entire stadium.
“The atmosphere was amazing, and hearing the crowd cheer for him was so special,” recalled his mom, Amanda Garay. “He came running up to me after and was so excited that he was going to get his wish. The whole day was so special for our family.”
After the announcement, Jordan’s wish-granting volunteers —including his grandmother — surprised Jordan and his family with his Wish Party. Complete with balloons, cake and travel bags packed with gifts, they learned more about what Jordan’s wish would be like.
“It was wonderful to grant Jordan’s wish to go to Walt Disney World and to see how meaningful the wish was for Jordan and his entire family,” said Mackenzie Perry, wish manager for Make-A-Wish Maine. “It was especially meaningful, as his grandmother is a long-time Make-A-Wish Maine volunteer and we were grateful to be able to have her grandson experience the impact of a wish.”
Thanks to the Fast Pass Lanes, the Garay kids were able to make it through lines more quickly and go on even more rides throughout the day. They rode some of their favorites multiple times throughout their visit. While the family had a lot of information about the mission of Make-A-Wish, experiencing it firsthand was a unique experience.
“Over the past 20 years, I have heard my mom speak about how important Make-A-Wish is to her, and I have seen her dedication to all her wish kids. I knew it was special, and I knew she put her heart into it, but I never truly understood the impact of a wish until we experienced Jordan’s wish,” Amanda noted. “Our family was able to make these amazing memories and not worry — not worry about hearts, not worry about cancer, not worry about anything.”
