Make-A-Wish and ESPN showcase the power of sports through the annual "My Wish" series

The 16th edition of the series profiles wish kids whose wishes to meet their favorite athlete or team have come true

PHOENIX, July 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Make-A-Wish and ESPN have joined forces once again for the 16th edition of the "My Wish" series that airs on SportsCenter. The multi-day series will highlight four inspirational stories of children with critical illnesses whose wishes to meet their sports heroes provided them with hope and strength in the midst of their medical battles.

This year's series kicks off on Sunday, July 16, during the 8 a.m. ET airing of SportsCenter. The first feature will continue to be shown during successive SportsCenter programs until 6 p.m. ET the next day. From Monday, July 17, until Wednesday, July 19, a new feature will be released at 6 p.m. ET each day and continue to run on SportsCenter for 24 hours. A digital version of each "My Wish" story will be available on the ESPN and Make-A-Wish websites.

For each of the wishes featured, the talented team at ESPN was able to capture everything from the initial surprise when the wish kids learned their wish was coming true to the life-changing day when they met their favorite athlete or team. Over the years, "My Wish" has featured global superstars, world champions, gold medalists, hall of famers and MVPs. This year's roster of wish kids, star-studded athletes and teams includes:

• Eli, a 6-year-old with a heart condition, who earned a spot in the dugout alongside Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels;
• Brixton, a 6-year-old with leukemia, who practiced his touchdown dances with Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase;
• Alden, a 17-year-old with cancer, who went toe-to-toe with mixed martial artist Dustin Poirier; and 
• Caleb, a 20-year-old with cancer, who took the field alongside quarterback Josh Allen and the rest of the Buffalo Bills.

"The 'My Wish' series gives ESPN viewers an inside look at the power wishes have to transform the lives of wish kids, their families and everyone involved," said Leslie Motter, president and CEO, Make-A-Wish America. "It's always a privilege to work with the best-in-class storytellers at ESPN to share these inspiring and uplifting stories with their audience."

As he has since the first year of the series, Emmy-award winning reporter Chris Connelly brings these stories to life through insightful and compelling interviews with the wish kids and their families.

"I have been part of 'My Wish' since the beginning and, even after all that time, am always humbled by the incredible perseverance of the kids and families we profile," said Connelly. "It's an honor to tell stories about renewing hope through one special moment."

Make-A-Wish extends its thanks to Disney and ESPN for their support of the "My Wish" series as part of The Walt Disney Company's commitment to delivering joy and comfort to children with critical illnesses and their families. Beyond assisting with this year's series, Disney – which owns ESPN – has been a steadfast friend of Make-A-Wish for 43 years and has helped the organization grant more than 150,000 Disney-related wishes, including the very first official wish.

For more information about Make-A-Wish and the ESPN "My Wish" series, visit wish.org/mywish.

About Make-A-Wish
Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Founded in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the #1 most trusted nonprofit operating locally in all 50 states throughout the U.S. Together with generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 24,000 volunteers across the country, Make-A-Wish delivers hope and joy to children and their families when they need it most. Make-A-Wish aims to bring the power of wishing to every child with a critical illness because wish experiences can help improve emotional and physical health. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 550,000 wishes in 50 countries worldwide; more than 360,000 wishes in the U.S. and its territories alone. For more information about Make-A-Wish America, visit wish.org.

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SOURCE Make-A-Wish Foundation of America