Make-A-Wish stories always warm the heart, but one very special Mississippi boy made his wish to do something exceptional, and his story is sure to melt the grinchiest of hearts!
In June 2020, doctors diagnosed Adeola “Abraham” Olagbegi with a rare blood disorder known as Aplastic Anemia. Abraham needed a blood transplant, which he received in November 2020.
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Thankfully, the blood transplant was successful, and Abraham is living a healthy life today. However, Abraham and his family surely struggled through many frightening months between his initial diagnosis and the point at which doctors were able to feel confident about Abraham's prognosis post-transplant.
During that time, though, Abraham learned that he had been selected to be a Make-A-Wish recipient.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to children with critical illnesses, has seen a variety of wishes during their existence. There have been wishes for puppies and treehouses, meetings with celebrities and the opportunity to see snow. The vast majority of wishes involve travel. But, Abraham thought a lot about his wish and decided to do something different.
13-year-old Abraham, with wisdom beyond his years, decided that he wanted to feed the homeless in his community of Jackson, Mississippi. Abraham’s mom, Miriam, made sure that Abraham understood his options and felt positive about his choice.
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Miriam told CBS News, "I said, 'Are you sure Abraham? You could do a lot... You sure you don't want a PlayStation?'"
Abraham was certain in his decision, and Make-A-Wish Mississippi worked with local businesses to create an event at Poindexter Park, giving Abraham the opportunity to pass out free food to approximately 80 individuals in a single day.
Abraham’s wish doesn’t end there. The event will be repeated monthly through August 2022—one full year of blessing the homeless with a free meal! Linda Sermons from Make-A-Wish shared with WLBT, "We were excited this is our first philanthropic wish in our 20+ years of the chapter in the state—a huge milestone for us." Abraham’s generosity has been very encouraging to his parents, who have taught their children that it is a “blessing to be a blessing.”
And, Abraham has found the project super soul-satisfying. In fact, he hopes to continue feeding the homeless after his wish has expired through a nonprofit called “Abraham’s Table.” Abraham said "It is just a blessing to see people getting fed. When I leave, I am going to feel joyful."
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“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,” Matthew 25:35
h/t: Newsner
Featured Image Credit: Facebook/CBS Mornings
Hally is a freelance writer, blogger, and mental health advocate. A former school counselor, Hally works for a nonprofit that distributes tax dollars to mental health and prevention education providers that serve her county's kids and families. She's a contributor to a devotional and two essay collectives, and she shares resources and wisdom regarding parenting teens, mental health, faith, adoption, and more at http://www.hallyjwells.com where she strives to "Dig Deep and Reach High." She and her husband have three adult children and one rascally beagle pup. Hally loves travel, her book club sisters, personality tests, and a great glass of iced tea.