Three young people from North Texas are getting the opportunity of a lifetime – a ticket to Super Bowl 58!
They will be among the 20 kids heading to Las Vegas for the big game, all made possible through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. This is the largest number of wishes ever granted at a Super Bowl for the nonprofit.
The families flew out on Wednesday from Love Field to begin a jam-packed and unforgettable itinerary this week.
Luke Blank is a 12-year-old Cowboys fan and survivor of a brain tumor.
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His dad sent us these pictures of Luke living it up in Vegas with a welcome party at Top Golf. On Thursday night, he will walk the red carpet with the others for a special event just for the Wish Kids, hosted by the NFL. On Friday, the NFL will bring the group into Allegiant Stadium for a behind-the-scenes tour.
Meantime, 14-year-old Vincent Wakefield also has so much to celebrate this weekend. He’s been cancer-free for three years after a multi-year battle with lymphoma.
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His wish of seeing the Super Bowl in person is finally coming true. What makes it even more special is the fact that he is a Kansas City Chiefs fan. In fact, his family is full of Texas Tech University alums, so they're excited to see fellow red raider Patrick Mahomes on the field.
"It's like surreal, to be honest. Vegas is a big place and the Super Bowl is even bigger,” Vincent told NBC 5. “All of these crazy things they're going to let us go to before the Super Bowl starts – it's just crazy."
Vincent's father, Harve Wakefield, said this will be a special moment for him and the family to share together after Vincent’s long and difficult battle toward recovery.
"I didn't believe they were going to grant something that big. But this speaks to the incredible nature of this organization,” he said.
Solomon Barber, a 19-year-old from Rockwall, is a lifelong Cowboys fan.
He spent most of his teenage years battling kidney and organ failure that was caused by a genetic condition. After a long wait on the transplant list, his cousin saved his life with a kidney donation.
Solomon is now studying at the University of North Texas and is excited to experience the Super Bowl with his dad.
“He's super, super hyped about it. It’s something that he's always wanted to do with his dad and now he gets to do it with me,” he said. "For all I know my kidney could give up tomorrow, or 15 years, or 30 years from now. Who knows? But I'm happy to have it right now and I'm happy to go with it and get every opportunity I can to live life.”
Wishes involving the NFL started shortly after the founding of Make-A-Wish in 1980. The first wish that the NFL granted was for John Paul Serna, a 12-year-old Arizona boy who attended Super Bowl XVI in 1982. The wish was the 9th ever in Make-A-Wish history, and in the 42 years since, more than 300 wishes have been granted at the Super Bowl with hundreds more wishes having been granted through the 32 teams and their players.
“Throughout the season our partners at the NFL and its teams are a source of boundless joy for children everywhere, and today, we are overjoyed to channel that magic in an enormous way for three incredible North Texas wish kids bravely battling critical illnesses," shared Kim Elenez, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish North Texas. "This journey to the Super Bowl, made possible by our compassionate partners like the NFL and Fanatics, is more than a trip—it's a profound moment that will etch lasting memories. We are profoundly grateful to be able to embrace our wish kids in this extraordinary experience, offering them a well-deserved respite from their challenging journeys.”
To learn more and find out how you can get involved, visit http://www.wish.org/NTX
