Heads turned as a new song came over the sound system in Detroit’s Hard Rock Café. The artists – a duo from Brighton, Mich. – were seated at the best table in the house. One of them was 18-year-old A.J., and recording this song was his wish.

A.J. and his best friend Justin had always dreamed of becoming musicians. At 15, A.J. began taking guitar lessons. His funds ran out after only a few sessions, so he continued learning by watching instructional videos on YouTube. He and Justin jammed to tunes recorded by their rock heroes, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kid Rock and Metallica.

But mastering the guitar was far from A.J.’s only challenge. At age 2, he was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis and severe asthma.

“The hospital is like my second home, and the doctors and nurses are like my second family,” A.J. said, looking back on the many months he’s spent there. “They’re so great to me. They even gave me a laptop so I could do some song writing to pass the time in bed.”

A.J’s mom, Theresa, admits that many of A.J.’s recent hospital stays have been scary, but she admires her son’s positive attitude. “He’s trying to live life to the fullest, even though you never know what the future will bring,” she said.

When A.J. learned he was eligible for a wish, he asked the Make-A-Wish Foundation to help him create a CD of his original music.

A.J. and Justin had written several instrumental songs, and wish granters introduced them to music producer Mark Nilan. He encouraged them to write lyrics for some of their songs. Then he called in seasoned studio musicians to lay down drum, vocal and piano tracks.

Shortly after the CD was finished, A.J. was back in the hospital for several days. But his wish was far from over. After he left the hospital, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, in partnership with General Motors, presented A.J. with a new guitar autographed by several popular bands.

“It’s a beautiful guitar,” A.J. said. “It sounds perfect, and it’s just the right size for me. I had no idea it was coming.”

Then it was off to lunch, where their CD would soon make a surprise public debut.

Justin recognized their song first and pointed it out to an astounded A.J. Then the Hard Rock Café staff announced them and asked them to autograph a copy of the CD. Other diners visited their table to congratulate them and ask where they could buy their music.

“Me and Justin couldn’t stop smiling all day,” he added. “We were treated like rock stars.”

The Hard Rock Café proved to be Theresa’s favorite memory as well. “I watched A.J. as his song came on, and the smile on his face showed how proud he was,” she said. “This was an experience I never would have been able to give him on my own. He still talks about it every day.”

A.J. and Justin’s celebrity status is now spreading at their school. “I played my music for classmates, and they came up to me later and said they were humming my songs all day,” he said. “Justin’s been recruiting for the other positions in our band, and I think we have a whole band now.”

“I just want to say thank you to the Make-A-Wish Foundation,” A.J. said. “You guys do amazing work. You bring hope to kids like me.”