By Kathryn Roethel

Thanks to his wish to have a fashion shopping spree in New York City, 17-year-old Jordan has a new pair of Gucci shoes in his closet – a pair that he vows will only touch his feet on the most worthy occasions.

The shoes, and several other coveted designer items, are the result of a wish that began with Jordan’s love of the fashion world. From reading stacks of style magazines to watching episodes of the fashion design reality show “Project Runway,” he knows what styles are making their marks on the catwalk. He’s even been known to sew extra embellishments onto his family’s clothes to create his own fashion statements.

Jordan was diagnosed with autoimmune deficiency syndrome, and when wish granters from the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Arizona met him, they marveled at the many photographs and magazine picture collages that he created to adorn his hospital room walls. Jordan’s smile was clearly at its brightest when he was in front of a camera.

Wish granters helped Jordan prepare for his New York shopping spree by organizing a sendoff party hosted by Neiman Marcus and the Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall. Fashion Square staff members gave him a tour of his favorite stores to inspire some ideas for his big trip and showered him with gifts before he left. Next was an exotic three-course lunch at Thaifoon, where Jordan’s extended family surprised him, and wish granters gave him new luggage and a digital camera.

The following week, Jordan and his family boarded a plane bound for New York. It was the first-ever airplane flight for Jordan and his sisters. Once in The Big Apple, Jordan’s Fifth Avenue shop-a-thon began. A limousine picked him up at his hotel and chauffeured him to all the stores he’d dreamed of: Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Gucci. Personal shoppers awaited him in each location, filling up dressing rooms with the hottest fall fashions, just like the ones he’d seen in the magazines.

Jordan felt like a star getting into the limo with his arms full of shopping bags. “People thought I was a celebrity when they saw me and the limo,” he said. “They thought my dad was my bodyguard!”

There was still more to come on Jordan’s New York experience. He and his sisters were awestruck by the huge-sized toys at FAO Schwartz and the Ferris wheel in Toys R Us. The family took in a New York Liberty WNBA game and a tour of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and School. The dance students were proud to show Jordan around and urged him to think about studying there one day. A visit to Times Square and tastes of New York pizza and hot dogs from the many street-side vendors added even more flavor to Jordan’s trip.

Jordan’s family returned home from their excursion with twice as many suitcases as they had taken, all stuffed with Jordan’s gifts and purchases.

And those Gucci shoes? Jordan says he’s worn them once – and slipping them on brought back great memories of his trendy days in New York City.