The Salt Lake Bees vs. Texas Round Rock Express game on Friday, August 23, wasn’t just any baseball game. For 11-year-old Layton resident Kash, who has been undergoing treatment for a brain tumor, it was a magical night when he was granted his wish to visit Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas with his family.
The Surprise of a Lifetime
Kash was invited to throw the first pitch of the game, and immediately following, Burt Brothers Tire & Service CEO Brian Maciak and Make-A-Wish Utah development director Summer Ehrmann surprised him with the exciting news. More than 500 Burt Brothers staff and family members attended the game to show their support.
“It’s always awesome to see Kash smile and be excited about something with everything he’s gone through,” says Clint, Kash’s father.
The Power of a Wish
Why did Kash choose Atlantis for his wish?
“All the time I was in the hospital, I was thinking about beaches—just warm weather and water,” he says. “It’s super awesome that they all care about me.”
Kash’s mom is excited but has mixed feelings about the wish.
“It’s bittersweet because you know if they’re getting a wish that they’re going to go through a lot of crap,” she says. “But he’s a fighter, so it’s awesome.”
Ehrmann explains that often when a child receives a difficult diagnosis, their choices suddenly become limited, and wishes give back some of their power.
“They don’t get to choose if they’re going to go to school, what they’re going to eat, or even what each day holds,” she says. “And then in comes the power of a wish. It gives that choice back to the child. They feel invigorated. They feel empowered. Along their journey, they have that wish to look forward to, and it gives them the courage and the strength that they need to fight.”
She adds, “A lot of our families find that that wish gives the entire family something to hope for. It’s a light at the end of a very difficult, dark tunnel. Just to be a tiny part of Kash’s journey and deliver that hope is an incredible feeling.”
Donation Drive
Burt Brothers has been sponsoring Make-A-Wish Utah for the past three years and is proud to continue their partnership.
“When I joined Burt Brothers in March, we certainly wanted to continue our corporate giving campaign, but we needed to decide which charities are we going to continue to support,” explains Maciak. “After spending about five minutes with the folks from Make-A-Wish Utah, I knew that this was an organization we needed to continue with.”
In fact, beginning September 16, Burt Brothers will kick off a two-month donation drive in their 26 stores throughout the state for Make-A-Wish Utah, featuring Kash’s story. Customers can round up their invoices—or donate any amount—at the point of sale to help make the wishes of Kash and other critically ill Utah children come true.
“Wishes don’t happen in a vacuum,” says Ehrmann. “Wishes happen because our entire community comes together and makes hope happen for children and families when they need it most. Partnerships like the one that we enjoy with Burt Brothers and all of their fantastic employees make wishes happen for children all across the state of Utah every day.”
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