When volunteers from the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Western Pennsylvania & Southern West Virginia met 8-year-old Erica, she had already given her wish much thought. She confidently stated that she wanted to celebrate her ninth birthday at Walt Disney World®, but this wish included more than just Erica’s birthday milestone. It was also the Western Pennsylvania & Southern West Virginia chapter’s 5,000th wish since its inception in 1983!

Wish granters recognized the significance of the dual milestones and parlayed them into an even bigger celebration – the chapter’s Light Up Night, which would be used as a send-off party. (Light Up Night signals the beginning of Pittsburgh’s holiday season and happened to fall on the night before Erica’s departure for central Florida.) As the event’s guest of honor, Erica was picked up in a limousine and brought to the Pittsburgh landmark building One Oxford Centre. There waiting for her were hundreds of people, including Make-A-Wish® staff and volunteers, Erica’s friends and family, and well-wishers from the general public. The whole group – including Santa Claus – sang “Happy Birthday” to the excited girl and toasted her. They also celebrated the chapter’s 5,000th wish by chowing down on free cookies. Erica even got to blow out the candles on an early birthday cake.

With sponsorship from Jewelers Charity Fund for Children (JCF), the family departed the next morning for the SunshineState and its theme parks. U.S. Airways generously upgraded the family members – including Erica, dad Richard, mom Estella, and brother Richard, Jr. – to first-class seats. In Florida, the group stayed at Give Kids The World, a 51-acre, nonprofit resort that provides accommodations, attraction tickets, and meals for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families that wish to visit the central Florida attractions.

During her wish experience, Erica visited more than just Walt Disney World, and her favorite memories span different parks. Her favorite part of the trip was meeting Mickey and Minnie Mouse on her birthday, and she loved all the fuss they made over her. Her favorite ride was the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man 3-D thrill ride at Universal Orlando Resort. She also visited Walt Disney World’s Epcot, a collection of attractions showcasing the world’s current cultures and humankind’s future. All the while, the new 9-year-old wore a special birthday pin into all the parks.

Erica’s parents claim their daughter met every character in every park and got their autographs. Mom Estella called the trip “more than a dream come true.” The family even had to purchase an extra duffel bag to hold all of the souvenirs for the ride back home.