Ace goes into the Lions den
Mega fan Ace inspired a whole team and fan community when his wish came true to be a part of the Brisbane Lions’ inner sanctum.
Background
Meet Ace
18-year-old Ace suffers from a condition called dystonia. He is completely reliant on his electric wheelchair and can only communicate through an electronic device.
None of this stopped him from motivating the Brisbane Lions footy team to win when he visited their pre-game training session.
About the wish
Into the Lion's den!
Ace had the entire group in stitches with his funny wise cracks and inspired them with telling his story. It was a special moment for everyone when his favourite player Daniel Rich presented him with his very own Lions guernsey.
Coaching staff, players and the high performance team all gathered around Ace to share key insights with him and get to know this incredible young man.
'Their main man Ace'
The Lions coach then asked Ace’s mum Raylene if they could have the honour of her and Ace doing the coin toss at the upcoming game. They also thanked her for everything she does for ‘their main man Ace’.
In the team's pre game pep talk, the Lions coach inspired the players with quotes Ace made when he visited their training session. Coach said, “the team had to win for themselves but most of all they had to win for Ace”.
"As the boys prepared for the game, they chanted his name, “ACE, ACE, ACE”."
The Lions dedicated their game to him and as a constant reminder during the match why they had to win, players wrote Ace’s name on their strapping tape.
And it worked! The Lions won!
As the players ran out the back to sing their team song they each stopped to thank Ace for all his support. The crowd was on their feet cheering for Ace and even the coach came up to him and his family and said it was all because of him that they won.
“We can’t put into words how happy Ace was meeting the whole Brisbane Lions crew. It is simply life changing for Ace in the way that every time he talks about it or looks at the photos we see that overwhelming happy smile on his face.”
Mum
The Wish Effect
One year on
We spoke to Ace's mum Raylene to get an update following on from his amazing wish day in 2018.
The #WishForce behind the wish
Hyundai Help For Kids
Brisbane Lions
Cardinia-Casey Volunteer Branch
Help more life-changing wishes come true
There are 700 kids like Ace on a Wish Journey in Australia right now. We rely on the generosity of donors, volunteers and local communities to make it happen.
The Wish Journey
How a wish comes to life
Make-A-Wish volunteers visit each child to capture their greatest wish, getting to the heart of what kids truly want and why. This profound insight is part of what makes Make-A-Wish unique, giving children full creative control and helping to shape their entire Wish Journey.
Back at Make-A-Wish HQ, we partner with families, volunteers and medical teams to design the ultimate wish experience - and start rallying our partners and supporters to help make it happen.
In the lead up to the wish, we take each child on a journey designed to build excitement and provide a welcome distraction from medical treatment. Anticipation can be incredibly powerful, helping to calm, distract and inspire sick kids at a time they need it most.
When the moment finally arrives, children get to experience their greatest wish come true - it's everything they've imagined and more. Pinch yourself, and don't forget to take a breath and enjoy every precious moment!
Wish impact studies show that a child's wish lives on, long after the moment. A wish gives more than just hope – with an incredible and lasting effect on the lives of sick kids, their families and wider communities.
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