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Jaedin’s Wish Story

Jaedin, 9, Troutdale
Wish: go on a Caribbean Cruise

Jaedin qualified for a wish from the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oregon because he has a heart condition. Due to being in and out of the hospital since he was a baby, he is a shy little guy who loves his family. When asked for his wish, Jaedin pulled out a model of the Titanic and said to his wish granters, “I want to go on a cruise ship, except one that doesn’t sink.” An imaginative and creative 9-year-old from Troutdale, Ore., Jaedin received his wish to go on a Western Caribbean cruise in January.

Starting with a surprise limo ride to the airport, Jaedin discovered the trip was going to be far from ordinary. Jaedin, with his family members in tow, headed to Miami to board the Freedom of the Seas and start the journey of a lifetime.

Before leaving for his trip, Jaedin was told by a family friend that he could order fried shrimp, his favorite food, anytime of the day on the cruise ship. Jaedin was not afraid to test this theory and ate multiple plates of fried shrimp while on board.

From snorkeling in the Grand Cayman, to tubing down a river and climbing falls in Jamaica, to a water park in Haiti, Jaedin spent the week as a true adventurer. On board, Jaedin and family were treated to time with the captain, a tour behind-the-scenes of the galleys, starring in the nightly shows, and unlimited arcade games.

When it was time to head home, Jaedin came across a Make-A-Wish® billboard in the Miami airport and thought that was really cool, exclaiming, “I just did all of that.”

Jaedin’s wish was sponsored by Jewelers For Children through the Adopt-A-Wish® program. For more information about this program, click here.