Sixteen-year-old Adam just wanted to fly. Since he was 12 years old, he’d been coping with serious medical concerns as a result of end-stage renal disease and a kidney transplant. But for one week in August 2009, Adam left his medical issues behind when his feet finally left the ground.

After trying a brief flight at Skyventures, an indoor skydiving facility in New Hampshire, Adam dreamed about going back for an extended visit so he could “learn to do tricks.” That extended visit became a reality when Adam declared his wish to the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of Western New York.

Adam and his best friend, Tyler, spent a week at the Skyventures facility, learning all the tricks and gaining skills as they participated in multiple dives with knowledgeable instructors. When they weren’t skydiving, Adam and Tyler could be found zip lining down a local mountain or embarking on other adventures. “It was an action-packed wish,” said Adam’s father, Tom. “Thanks to [the Make-A-Wish Foundation], Adam received a week where he was put in control and not his doctors.”

Adam and Tyler created a video of the wish experience to express their gratitude to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.