Brookland, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Earlier today, four-year-old Addison was granted a wish from the Make-A-Wish organization to go to Disney.
Known as Addie to her friends and family, she was surrounded by her mom, Robyn, her dad, Aaron, and her brother Robert when accepting the wish.
“She’s a Disney kid,” said Aaron. “She loves all the princesses, and her aunt that nominated her knew that. It’s just really amazing that she’s going to get to go do that.”
“It’s exciting,” added Robyn.
Addison was born with a rare congenital heart defect known as ALCAPA (anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery), according to a GoFundMe set up by Robyn to help cover medical expenses. When she was only 8 weeks old, she went into heart failure and had to have open-heart surgery for the first time.
“We thought it fixed the issue, and then it didn’t,” said Aaron. “She had to have another heart surgery, which was even more complicated than the first, and they weren’t sure if she was going to make it, but she did.”
According to the GoFundMe, Addie underwent her second surgery in early October. Prior to the surgery, Robyn wrote of Addie, “She is full of life, love, and a large sprinkle of sass.”
“We’re just so thankful that she’s still with us,” said Aaron. “To see the community come together to support her wish like this is just really heartfelt.”
Addison’s favorite princess is Elsa, and when asked if she was excited to go to Disney, her response was an emphatic, “Yeah!”
This wish was granted by Make-A-Wish and made possible by donations from Brookland Elementary School where Addie is a student.