Twelve-year-old Dominic set his eyes on the skies when he made his wish to take flying lessons. But Dominic’s wish wasn’t just for himself – he wanted to share his wish with one of the most important people in his life: his dad.

Dominic’s dad, Frank, has helped seem him through numerous treatments for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The two have long enjoyed taking the passenger seats when Dominic’s uncle pilots the aircraft, a helicopter and small airplane, he owns. For Dominic, the chance to take to take a seat in the cockpit and learn to fly with his father was the perfect wish.

Dominic’s path to the flight deck began with a party at a flight school near his home. Volunteers from the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of Northeast New York joined forces with Dominic’s friends, family and new flight instructors to throw a surprise party and reveal to Dominic that his wish was coming true.

At the party, Dominic was showered with gifts to help him prepare for takeoff: flight manuals, a flight jacket, tickets to an air show and an autographed photo of the Blue Angels. He also met his future flight instructor and received a scholarship for the flight lessons he’d always dreamed of. Dominic is the youngest pupil his instructor has ever taught.

After the celebration put Dominic’s wish in motion, he was ready to step into the cockpit. He spends his weekends taking lessons with his instructor and his dad, and when they’re not flying, the father-son team is hitting the books at ground school. Dominic must wait until he’s 17 to get his private pilot’s license, but in the meantime, he’ll have plenty of time to enjoy flying with his dad.

Frank too, cherishes the quality time with his son, both in the air and on the ground. He fully expects his son to become a world-class aviator, so he purchased a Piper Arrow four-seater plane they can fly together.

Dominic is not only excited to be flying with his dad; he also hopes to someday work at the construction company his father owns. “I want to work with my dad during the week and fly with him on the weekend,” he said.