All Aboard for Jesse’s Wish
Jesse’s wish of traveling by train to Orlando for Universal Studios was granted!
Jesse, who grew up on Long Island, is not your average 10 year old. He lights up every room he walks into, he has a larger than life personality and he has spent half of his life battling cancer. When Jesse and his family were thrown into the nightmare of a relapse, the Marty Lyons Foundation was there to offer a 2nd wish. They could not believe it!
Throughout his rigorous rounds of treatment, MLF Executive Board Member & Wish Coordinator, Eileen Mayer, remained a constant source of comfort for the family. When she received the news that Jesse was starting to feel well enough to travel, she got to work on his wish!
All that this little boy wished for was to sleep on a train! In working with the very gracious folks at Amtrak, Eileen laid the tracks for Jesse to take Amtrak all the way from NYC to Orlando! Amtrak was truly “all aboard” for this wish, treating Jesse like a true MVP! He was made an honorary conductor and even the officers in the station came to meet him! At every stop, there was a “Welcome Jesse” sign and the whole staff knew him! It really was a dream come true for this train loving kid! Getting to visit Universal Studios was truly the cherry on top of an incredible wish experience!
Funding for Jesse’s wish was made possible partially through the assistance of Cintas of Great River. Cintas raised funds through a variety of in office fundraisers, including a staff barbeque, dress down Fridays, and selling “I wear orange for Jesse” bracelets and pins. A most unique initiative was the creation and selling of a cookbook. The cookbook featured various employees’ favorite recipes, and opened with a very special one. When Jesse was undergoing intensive treatment, there was so little he could eat – so his favorite recipe of a Birds Nest opens the book.
To commemorate the culmination of their fundraising efforts, Cintas hosted an ice cream party with all the fixings for Jesse and the dedicated staff, in which the presented a check to MLF. It was an excellent way to honor not only all of their hard work, but also to celebrate Jesse.
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