This particular December day was brisk and sunny in New York City. It was especially sunny for 8-year-old Avril, of Manhattan, who will remember it as the day her wish came true; and for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York, which celebrated its 5,000 wish granted.

Diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition in 2001, Avril recently completed treatment and was ready to think about happy adventures. A girl who enjoys indoor and outdoor activities, she is a lover of animals – especially dogs, horses, and frogs. In fact, she would love to have her own horse one day. Avril wished to meet animals up close – to see the colors of their eyes and touch their fur or feathers.

The Bronx Zoo was the perfect place to fulfill her wish, and the zoo declared Avril “honorary zookeeper for a day.” And, as a preamble to her full-day experience, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg assisted Avril as she flipped the switch in November for the Bronx Zoo's Holiday Lights.

Accompanying Avril on her wish adventure were her mother, Beth; her sister, Meryl; her brother, Jarrod; and her best friend, Sophie – all animal lovers.

Avril's wish day began with a visit to the zoo's education department, where zookeepers supervised the hands-on experiences Avril and her entourage enjoyed. They checked out Lily, a silvery-cheeked hornbill bird from Africa; held and nuzzled Vada, a fennec fox; and they fed Frankie, the two-toed sloth, and Sam, the tortoise. But the highlight was visiting a wallaby named Nachman, who snacked on whipped cream. The children listened to Nachman stories as they browsed through photo albums documenting his growth.

In the bird area, they fed penguins, and Avril took on the role of medic as she applied a special cream to a flamingo's sore, cracked feet. In the new Tiger Mountain exhibit, Avril and her crew played tug-of-war with Taurus, a 300-pound Siberian tiger cub. Holding the rope in his teeth (and with a secure barrier between them), Taurus showed Avril the mighty power of a tiger cub. And, thanks to an observant full-time zookeeper, Avril now has one of Taurus’ whiskers – a rare find and a great wish memory.

Following lunch, Avril and her crew received official Bronx Zoo honorary zookeeper credentials – appropriate recognition of these Wildlife Conservation Society members who take their responsibilities seriously. Brother Jarrod even brought a pocketful of quarters for donating to the endangered species. Assessing the experience as she headed for the limousine that would take her home, Avril said, “It was really cool! I got to see all these really cool animals and take care of them.” But the perfect end to the day occurred when Avril opened the door of the limousine and saw the many, many stuffed zoo animals that stared back at her. Shrieks and squeals of joy erupted.

“My heart is full,” Avril's mom noted. “She has been through so much, and it’s nice to have a break from all that to do something that means so much to her.”