The clock is counting down to the big game, and while you’re rooting for your team, we thought you’d enjoy taking a moment to celebrate a victory for wish kid Keannu!

Keannu was a star athlete at his high school, where his friends and teammates admired his natural abilities, tireless work ethic and compassionate leadership. He began having vision trouble in the middle of a football game. At first, his family thought he had a concussion — as the quarterback, Keannu had taken a few hits on the field. 

But soon after, Keannu began to feel severely sick. His worried family rushed him to the hospital, where they learned the devastating news: Keannu had a brain tumor that required emergency surgery.  

After his procedure, Keannu’s sister encountered his nurse and found her in tears. That’s when they learned that Keannu had not woken up from his surgery. His panicked family was told that Keannu had suffered a stroke. 

When Keannu finally woke up, he was unable to walk and he had difficulty speaking. Together, Keannu and his family committed themselves to intensive recovery therapies. 

The promise of a wish brought light back into Keannu’s life: more than anything, he wished to play football again. So Make-A-Wish^® partnered with a virtual reality company to create an experience that would bring Keannu back on the field. 

On his wish day, Keannu showed up to his high school field, wearing his football gear and a huge smile. His teammates rallied around, chanting his name as they welcomed their captain back to the athletic field. 

One of his teammates approached him and said, “We believe in you. You never gave up on us, so we will never give up on you.”

Keannu put on his VR helmet and grinned in amazement as he played his favorite sport alongside his closest friends. All the while, his community and team cheered for him, shouting his name. Keannu glowed with joy as he scored a touchdown to win the game. When he took off his helmet, he was beaming, surrounded by the people he loves most. 

You’ve played such a critical role on our wish-granting team. We hope you’ll be an MVP for our wish kids and help grant more wishes today. Make a gift now, and help put more kids fighting critical illnesses back in the game.

Wishfully,
Make-A-Wish