Make-A-Wish has been helping sick children’s wishes come true for more than 40 years.
Alaska Airlines pilots Captain Ryan McNelis and First Officer Bethany McNelis have flown dozens of children to their Make-A-Wish trips over the years, but they never imagined their own daughter, Maeve, would someday need a wish as well. Maeve was diagnosed with a rare form of neuroblastoma as an infant, but she’s now in remission, so it’s the perfect time to finally take her Make-A-Wish flight to Disney World in Orlando, Florida!
Maeve’s journey was especially poignant for a few reasons. First, her trip marks the 8,000th Make-A-Wish flight for the airline. Secondly, the pilot on her flight is a family member… but not one of her parents. In a video shared with Storyful, the pilot reveals that he’s actually her uncle.
“So, I have the privilege, thanks to Make-A-Wish and Alaska Airlines, to fly her down to Orlando today for her wish,” he tells the passengers. “And, she’s the strongest little girl that I know. She had stage four neuroblastoma, and she’s now cancer-free. She’s not only healthy, but she’s thriving.”
The pilot has to fight back tears as he describes his niece’s hard-fought journey back to good health. You can feel the love and emotion in his voice, and it’s truly beautiful! Watch the video below, and don’t forget to share.
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