Thirteen-year-old Keith lived a long way from his older brother, Tim. The teen had talked to Tim over the phone, but hadn't seen him in two years. When volunteers from the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of Mississippi explained to Keith that he could have a wish granted, the boy who missed his brother decided to travel to Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska to be reunited with Tim, who was serving as an F-15E crew chief with the U.S. Air Force's 90th Fighter Squadron.

Keith and his family flew to Anchorage, Alaska. In the Last Frontier, they were welcomed with an orientation by the 90th Fighter Squadron. Lieutenant Colonel John Marselus made Keith a crew chief for a day, like his brother. As part of the occasion, the squadron put Keith's name on a jet next to Tim's, put him inside the cockpit and made him an honorary squadron member. As a special gift, Marselus presented Keith with a flag he'd flown on a combat sortie in support of Operation Northern Watch.

The lieutenant colonel's affection for Keith stemmed from an earlier interaction with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Years earlier, Marselus' nephew was battling a life-threatening illness. Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the boy was able to meet an athletic hero, a gift not lost on Marselus.

But the central figure in the wish was Tim, who let Keith get a close-up view of him launching an F-15E. He also presented Keith with a 90th Fighter Squadron medallion, cap, and shirt. When Keith was questioned about what the highlight of his trip was, he talked about sitting in the display aircraft and – above all – being with his brother.