Wish comes true for Faulk Elementary student

Wish comes true for Faulk Elementary student

Make- A- Wish surprises local fifth- grader with Disney trip

West Memphis School District Faulk Elementary fifthgrader Tyler Washington thought he was going to be making a speech to kick off a fundraising campaign. Instead, he got the surprise of his young life.

As soon as Washington was finished making his brief speech Sunday at the Academies of West Memphis' Performing Arts Center for Make-AWish Mid-South, he was suddenly surrounded by Disney characters, balloons, confetti and smiles galore.

Washington, a patient at St. Jude Hospital, is having is wish fulfilled.

He's going to Disney World in less than 20 days in an all-expense-paid trip along with his siblings, his mother and his aunt.

The young Washington expressed shock and his face, full of smiles, told the whole story.

After he was informed of his wish being granted by the Make-A-Wish folks on the PAC stage, Washington was ushered out to the lobby area where edible goodies and gobs of presents awaited him.

'He will be treated like a king' at Disney World, said Make-A-Wish volunteer wish-granter Cliff Carter, who was the spokesman for the day.

'For seven days Tyler won't have to worry about doctors, nurses and all the things that have taken his normal childhood and flipped it upside down.'

The granting of the wish was the doing of the Delta Christian Association, a local charity/civic group for adolescent girls in Crittenden County. The group raised the necessary $8,000 for the trip and approached Make-AWish.

Washington met all the qualifications for getting his wish granted.

'I just want to thank all the girls in DCA who did all the work in making this happen for Tyler,' Carter added.

'Tyler is a great kid, he is so sweet,' said Washington's principal at Faulk, Janice Donald.

'This was such a neat, moving event today. To see the look on Tyler's face meant everything.

He's going to have a great time.'

By Billy Woods