When Brinley, 3, had the opportunity to make a wish to meet Ariel, she started jumping up and down with excitement. Brinley had been diagnosed with leukemia a year and a half earlier.

“She is absolutely obsessed with Ariel,” said Kristen, Brinley’s mother. “She loves all the princesses but Ariel especially. Whenever we would talk about her wish she just got really excited and a smile would come across her face.”

When Brinley finally met Ariel, it was a magical experience. She was able to go to Ariel’s Grotto and visit with the princess. Later, she was invited to a party where she met every princess and fairy. Then she had a personal get-together with Donald Duck and Minnie Mouse.

“It was a trip where everyone was smiling – which we hadn’t seen in a long time,” said Kristen. “Cancer, for a three-year-old, is sometimes too much. However, the power to make a wish and have it granted is one of the best medicines. It gave her hope and a joy that is hard to have when you have cancer.”

Kristen remembers the efforts made by others to create a fairytale world for Brinley during her week in Florida. It was the little details like the party that really gave Brinley’s family a chance to forget about their troubles for a while.

“They really cared about our family,” Kristen said. “I’m truly thankful for those that sacrificed to make it possible.”

And even though Brinley continues to undergo cancer treatment, Kristen says that whenever they talk about Brinley’s wish – she notices that same smile she saw at Walt Disney World^® Resort on Brinley’s face.

“As a mother, it’s something I’ll never forget,” Kristen said. “They brought joy to Brinley that I couldn’t have brought myself. And even though it was an experience that came and went, the experience will stay with Brinley forever.”

Wish Granters: Kandis Johnson and Linda Woolf
Wish Sponsor: Hunter 8th Ward