Did you know? We've granted more than 4,400 wishes since 1986.
I Wish to Have... a Christmas Celebration with my Family
View KTUU-TV’s coverage of Jacob’s wish as told by reporter Jason Lamb.
In storybooks, Christmas is more than reindeer and sleigh bells. It's a holiday of light and hope—a day to look forward to in the midst of cold, dark winters. This was especially true for loving, spirited, four-year-old Jacob.
Jacob was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy when he was just two-years-old. At age three, he and his family were dealt another blow when he was diagnosed with Leukemia. Last winter, Jacob and his family traveled from their remote village of Shaktoolik, Alaska to Seattle Children's Hospital for Jacob's chemotherapy treatment.
After spending the long winter months in a hospital bed in Seattle, Jacob returned home with one wish: to have Christmas with his family.
Jacob, an extraordinary little boy, had made an extraordinary wish. His village of less than 250 people had no grocery store or even running water. It was going to take many hearts and hands to make Jacob's wish come true and Make-A-Wish was up for the challenge with the help of Kawerak Inc.
On a brisk February morning, Santa and two of his elves traded in their sleigh for an airplane filled with gifts, treats and food from Nome, AK (the closest large city which is about 125 miles east of the village).
With a boisterous "ho, ho, ho" and eight giant bags of toys, Santa and his elves were met with smiles from the whole family. "No one was left out that day," said Santa Paul of Nome. "But Jacob certainly got the most, and he had a great time playing with his new rescue fire engine."
Later that day, the whole village hosted a potluck dinner, exhibiting the true spirit of Christmas and, of course, community support.
Jacob's Christmas wish was a day of hope, strength and joy for his family and his community. "It was a great opportunity for Jacob and his family to have a special moment together," said Nicole Sheldon, Make-A-Wish Foundation's Regional Director in Alaska.
Sadly, Jacob recently lost his battle with Leukemia. The Make-A-Wish Foundation is proud to have brought some hope, strength and joy into his life, as well as the lives of his family members and his entire community.
Special thanks: Kawerak Inc., Santa Paul, city of Nome, Everets Air Service, Bering Air, Nome Trading Post, Fred Meyer, and Make-A-Wish trustee, Amy Fredeen
Photos courtesy of KTUU-TV in Anchorage, Dan Carpenter and Jason Lamb
In storybooks, Christmas is more than reindeer and sleigh bells. It's a holiday of light and hope—a day to look forward to in the midst of cold, dark winters. This was especially true for loving, spirited, four-year-old Jacob.
On a brisk February morning, Santa and two of his elves traded in their sleigh for an airplane filled with gifts, treats and food from Nome, AK (the closest large city which is about 125 miles east of the village).
Jacob's Christmas wish was a day of hope, strength and joy for his family and his community. "It was a great opportunity for Jacob and his family to have a special moment together," said Nicole Sheldon, Make-A-Wish Foundation's Regional Director in Alaska.
Donate in honor of this wish