Check It Out: Make-a-Wish stories tug on heartstrings

Can you believe that the month of March is almost history? Will it end with a roar or a quiet bleat? Whichever way the wind does or doesn’t blow, I feel like I’m hanging on to the back end of a high-speed train as 2015 — the “new” year — charges to the finish line. For me, “March Madness” has nothing to do with basketball and everything to do with time. Whew!

However, I realize that for many people, March Madness means one thing: college basketball tournaments. Friends and co-workers start talking in a special lingo — brackets, NCAA, “the big dance” — as the “madness” grips the nation. Interestingly enough, “March Madness” is also used to describe the height of the European hare’s mating season. I could now go off on a whole different tack about “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” but I’ll spare you any further digressions. As you know, my mind works in mysterious way.

Back to basketball. Now that the college hoops season is quickly coming to a close, some of you may be wishing for a little more dribbling time. Books about basketball can be found at the library — for kids and adults — but I’m not writing about those. My choice this week is “Wish Granted,” a compilation of heart-warming stories about well-known athletes making time to fulfill children’s wishes through the Make-a-Wish Foundation. The book does include stories from two basketball stars, Michael Jordan and Grant Hill, but the primary message is that any sports celebrity can have a profound impact on a child, especially a child facing serious medical challenges.

In the book’s introduction, written by Jordan, you’ll learn that in 2009 he was made the chief wish ambassador of the Make-a-Wish Foundation. He describes several of the more than 200 wishes he has participated in over the years, but admits it was difficult to pick a wish that stood out over others, as “each one was special to me in its own way.” Many of the athletes included in this poignant collection express the same thing because every experience involved with making a child’s wish come true leaves lasting memories.

Something that truly resonated with me while reading these stories is that while many of the Make-a-Wish children sadly succumbed to their life-threatening medical conditions, many others recovered and went on to lead successful, happy lives as adults. One of my favorite stories involves Jordan. A young girl who had asked to meet Jordan had been diagnosed with malignant brain tumors. The day he met Katie and her family, he was actually meeting with an entire group of wish kids and their families. Many of the kids asked for autographs, bringing balls or shoes for Jordan to sign, but when he came ’round to Katie, she “seemed a little shy and tongue-tied.” He talked to her family, then turned to Katie and asked if there was something she would like from him.

In a moment he won’t forget, “she just looked up at me and squeaked out, ‘Can I have a hug?’ ” He was so moved by her simple request that he writes “something inside me absolutely melted at those words.” Pretty soon “she was crying, her parents were crying” and even Jordan, a larger-than-life basketball superstar was “choked up” as well. But best of all, her story didn’t end there: She triumphed over her condition, grew up, and even worked for the Make-a-Wish Foundation for a short time.

Even if you’re not a sports fan, this week’s book should appeal to a wide audience. Too often we hear about the negative side of athletics — steroid abuse, super-size egos, disregard for fans — so I found “Wish Granted” a refreshing change.

Sports can, and should, bring people together by providing strong role models for young people, energizing national pride, and exhibiting how individuals can team together and go the distance.

Jan Johnston is the collection development coordinator for the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District.