Olympian, Make-A-Wish team to make 9-year-old's dream come true
The Make-A-Wish Foundation continues its amazing work. One of the recipients of their wish this week was 9-year-old Elijah Harper.
When Harper arrived at the Windemere Community Learning Center on Wednesday, he had no idea 1996 Olympic gold medalist Dominique Moceanu would be there with her medal and a paper torch, reports Ohio.com
“Surprise!” screamed hundreds of kids and adults as Elijah walked through the doors stunned to find 1996 Olympic gold medalist Dominique Moceanu there holding out her medal and a paper torch.
“I’m here with Make-A-Wish to help your dream come true,” Moceanu said to Elijah through a whirlwind of noise and emotion.
After battling cancer for a year and a half, Elijah learned Wednesday during his surprise assembly that the Make-A-Wish Foundation is granting his ultimate wish to go to Colorado and train with the U.S. Men’s National Gymnastics Team.
Harper has been working at gymnastics since he was five years ago. In 2015, he was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor called medulloblastoma in June 2015.
Nothing would stop Harper from his gymnastics, not two spinal taps, chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
So when Elijah Harper arrived at the center a great surprise was awaiting. Now, he'll get to go train with the men's Olympic team:
The excitement of it all left Elijah nearly speechless as Moceanu placed her medal around his neck and handed him the torch. Soon after, though, he was right in the middle of the gym floor showing off some of his best moves.
Harper said Elijah originally wished to go watch the Olympics. But because of complications with flying overseas, Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana decided sending him to train with the men’s team, some of whom participated in this Olympics, was the next best thing.
“The experience Elijah is about to receive is definitely going to be one of the biggest experiences of his life,” said Brandon Kirk, who volunteers with Make-A-Wish with his wife, Nicole. “It’s unbelievable.”
Elijah will get on a plane for Colorado on Sunday with his mom and two brothers. They’ll head back to their Akron home Wednesday. The kids have never flown before, so that’s what Elijah is looking forward to the most — besides training with professional gymnasts, of course.
