A Girl’s Best Friend

Make-A-Wish® Connecticut granted 14-year-old Gabriella Bekker’s wish to have a husky puppy.

Fourteen-year-old Gabriella is a courageous teen who battled through her chemo treatments with strength and tenacity ever since she was diagnosed with lymphoma in February. But with COVID a daily reality and a new diagnosis due to the side effects of chemo, Gabby sunk into a deep depression once her treatments stopped. Her mom knew that it was critical for Gabby to be uplifted and happy in that very moment. So rather than wait an undetermined amount of time for it to be safe to travel to Israel, Gabby’s mom recognized the one wish that has lived in her daughter’s heart since third grade – to have a husky puppy.

When Gabby first met her new husky Skyla, she couldn’t stop smiling – “a real smile, not a fake smile,” shares her mom through tears. “I have my child back.” Skyla is Gabby’s best friend and her “baby” – the pup is smothered in happy hugs and kisses daily.

This wish provided Gabby with a renewed sense of optimism, not to mention the countless days of fun these two besties will share! Skyla truly is Gabby’s best friend, and Gabby can now remain enthusiastic about her life and her future!

Gabby’s mom said, “this wish was a blessing. Everyone was so nice and generous – we were overwhelmed by the generosity.”

Make-A-Wish is in the business of delivering hope, and hope has never been more important than now for our wish kids. It can be difficult to continue to hope when we have had so many dreams deferred due circumstances beyond our control, but the moment we have something to look forward to, everything begins to change. Hope is a superpower that kids living with critical illness, like Gabby, have been tapping into long before many of us heard the word, “lockdown.” Helping more kids find hope is something we all have the power to do, because for these children—as for all of us—the promise of a wish is so much more than a temporary escape. It’s a wellspring of strength to keep fighting for better days. Hope is essential for children living with critical illnesses and you can unlock its transformative power today. Don’t wait for hope; create it! Donate now at ct.wish.org.