I Wish to Have... a Pirate Ship Playhouse

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When Make-A-Wish volunteers first showed up at wish kid Payton's house and asked him what he wished for, his response was a Wall-E puzzle. "He just couldn't wrap his mind around the Make-A-Wish concept," said his mom, Tiffani. Many brainstorms later, 8-year-old Payton got the inspiration for his larger than life wish to have a pirate ship playhouse from a tiny Peter Pan and Captain Hook toy.

Living with a heart defect and pulmonary hypertension, Payton can't play contact sports and he tires easily. "As his parents, we really struggled with finding something that he can do," said Tiffani. But the pirate themed playhouse is just what the doctor ordered.

Dubbed "Payton's Plunder," the fire engine red playhouse is decked out with all the amenities needed to take this pint-sized pirate far, far away from his day-to-day realities. "He can have an adventure in his own backyard," said Tiffani. There's a crow's nest, captain's wheel, mast and sail, and even an evacuation slide that leads to a sandbox.

Since the installation, Payton and his friends have enjoyed many escapades on the ship that is permanently anchored just a stone's throw from his home.

It took a village to make Payton's wish come true, with many from the community coming together to give him his coveted treasure. "It's been really amazing to see how many people love and support us. It's given us a great sense of the community…and that people are good," said Tiffani.

To round out Payton's wish, the Make-A-Wish Foundation threw him a party fit for a king (or a pirate in his case) complete with cake, balloons, friends, family, community supporters and pirates.

The Kitsap Sun chronicled Payton's wish day. Read their full story here.

Special thanks: Teresa Osinksi, Chris Colley, The Sentinel Construction Family,
The Kingston Lumber Family, Brian McGinn, Wayne Keffer Construction,
Hanley Construction, Carl Zimmer, Bird Electric

Volunteers: Ken Kieffer and Suzanne Patrick

Photos courtesy of Mindi LaRose Photography

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