HomeMy WebLinkAboutGoderich Signal Star, 2017-02-01, Page 1212 Signal Star • Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Make a Wish trip leaves Asher Britton with plenty of happy memories
Dublin family WWestJet had cut out letters at
the check-in counter that
recently returns spelled out 'Welcome Asher'
from Disney trip with a whole bunch of Dis-
ney pictures.
Galen Simmons "They got him to stand on
Postmedia Network the conveyor belt for the lug-
gage and took pictures and
When he was first told that stuff," she said. "Ile loved it."
Make -a -Wish Southern Not only was the farp,ily
Ontario would be sending treated like royalty before
him and his entire family to departure, but the family
Orlando, Fla. to spend a was upgraded to the Plus
week at Disney World, Uni- (first class) seating, Asher
versal Studios and a few and his sister Calla were
other theme parks, Asher asked to help the flight
Britton's number -one prior- attendants serve drinks and
ity was to meet Mickey food, and Asher even got to
Mouse and have his picture meet the pilot.
taken with the Disney icon. The Brittons_ arrived at
Yet once Asher, who was their villa in the Give Kids
born with a congenital heart the World Resort, a special
condition know as CHARGE all-inclusive resort set aside
Syndrome, arrived at Dis- for Make -a -Wish kids and
ney's Magic Kingdom on the their families from all over
first day of his family's vaca- the world, at around 10 p.m.
ti n, he quickly realized Dec. 9, and the next day
ere were a lot more colour- went to Disney's Magic King-
ful characters to get excited dom, which happened to be
about than just Mickey. filled to capacity.
On Dec. 9, Asher, mom "We were all a little tired...
Lisa, dad Jesse, and his sib- it was a little overwhelming...
lings Joel, Calla and Mylo, but we saw their daytime
w hopped into a limo parked parade and that was awe -
outside their Dublin -area some because one of the
home and headed to Lon- men working there, we
don International Airport, asked him where we should
where they would fly to sit to watch the parade and
Orlando for a week-long he took us over to the VIP
vacation neither Asher or his seating area and sat us on
family could have ever these roped -off benches. So
dreamed of. all the characters would
The excitement started at come by and they were right
the airport when the team up close and personal and
from Make -a -Wish had signs high fiving Asher and the
and banners waiting for kids," Lisa recalled, adding
them, Lisa noted, and that Calla got to meet one of
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Submitted
Make -a -Wish Southern Ontario sent Asher Britton (right) and his
Dublin -area family to Orlando, Fla. Dec. 9-16, where they stayed
at Disney's Give Kids the World Resort and visited Disney World, -
Universal Studios and a few other theme parks. Pictured, Asher
was granted a private meet and greet with all of his favourite
Marvel superheroes at Universal Studios.
the child actors from a Dis- with each character was
ney show she watches called immediately uploaded
Bunk'd. online and was available for
As he had hoped, the first t'he Brittons to view and
character Asher got to meet download to their phones.
was none other than Mickey "Asher didn't like doing
himself, but once he discov- family pictures at any given
ered how exciting it was point, he onlywanted it to be
meeting his idol, Asher him," Lisa laughed. "He
made it his mission to meet didn't mind doing family
as many characters as possi- pictures with the characters,
ble, have them sign their but any time I tried, four dif-
autographs in his Disney ferent times over two days, to
autograph book, and have get family pictures, none of
his picture taken with them. them turned out."
Equipped with a Disney Both Asher and Jesse
photo pass, every picture came down with a bit of a
taken by the professional bug while in Orlando, so the
photographers stationed family took a day to relax
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and rest up back at their in the face of the evilTrans-
villa, but once they were former, the employee sta-
feeling a little better, Asher tioned with Megatron
went right back to hunting offered to give the Brittons a
down his favourite private, behind the scenes
characters. tour of Universal Studios the
At Disney's MGM Studios, next day, an offer neither
Asher was able to meet all of Asher or any of his family
his favourite Disney Junior could turn down.
characters, he met Goofy "He got a private meet and
and many more. greet with all the Marvel
Although Asher hadn't super heroes. We were in an
really shown that much empty amphitheater and
interest in, Star Wars prior to' they all just came out as they
his trip, one of the souvenirs were finishing their breaks,
he absolutely had to have and they all came in from
before leaving MGM Studios different directions. Spider -
was a toy lightsaber. man came in from behind
The Brittons spent half a the curtains and I thought
day at Epcot and another Asher was just going to fall
half-day back at Magic King- over. He started imitating
dom before they were due to Spiderman. He got to hold
head over to Universal Stu- Captain America's shield
dios for the next two days so and it was really cool, he just
Asher could meet some of loved it," she said.
his favourite non -Disney Getting the chance to meet
characters. his favourite characters from
"The first day we went (to movies and television was a
Universal) Asher was able to dream come true for Asher,
meet Barney. None of our but the best part of the trip for
other kids watched it, but Lisa and Jesse was the amount
Barney has always been a • of time and effort the staff at
show, when Asher is sick or all of the theme parks and the
in the hospital, he watches staff at the Give Kids the
Barney, and that's the only World Resort put in to ensure
time. When he's sick, he the Brittons could have a
watches Barney. So we breakfromthedailyresponsi-
watched a Barney Live show bilities associated with raising
and every song they sang, I a son with a congenital heart
can't explain how happy condition.
Asher was," Lisa said. . "It was just such a break,
Over the course of his time like it was truly an amazing
at Universal, Asher met all of break" Lisa explained. "We
his favourite characters, from stayed at Give Kids the
Dora the Explorer and Diego, World, they have 150 staff
to Gru and the Minions from and over 1,500 volunteers.
Despicable Me, and even It's all different houses setup
Bumblebee and Megatron for families that stay there
from Transformers. from all over the world. So
"He went on his Wish Trip any kind of organization that
to meet .Mickey Mouse grants awish to a child with
because he loves Mickey, but an illness or disease, they go
he came home a Transform- there and it's amazing.
ers fan," Lisa said. "Bumble- "They had buffets for every
bee started playing the dif- meal and they had volunteers
ferent clipspf music that he just standing there saying,
has and he's like 12 feet tall 'How can I help you?,' or
or whatever, their costumes 'What can I carry for you?, or
were mega, and Asher just 'What can I get you?,' and
goes right up to him, no fear, cleaning up after our messy
and he starts dancing with kids - just the little things that
him. He played like two bars we do day -in and day -out.
of Hammer Time by MC They took care of everything
Hammer and Asher turned and just gave us such a break"
around and faced and he Although they had to
was like, 'Stop, Hammer return home on Dec. 16,
time,' and he started dancing Asher and his family now
with him. It was the best." have plenty of wonderful
Since he wasn't a fan of memories to get them
transformers prior to his through the next year and
Make -a -Wish trip, Asher beyond.
didn't know he was sup- When Asher had to travel
posed to be afraid of Mega- to London earlier this month
tron, so when he met the evil to have dental surgery, he
Decepticon leader, he wasn't afraid at all - he was
walked right up to him and actually excited to tell his
tapped him on the knees to doctors and nurses all about
see what they were made of. his Make -a -Wish trip to
Because of Asher's bravery Orlando.