In
The News:In
The News:
Bob Haverstick writes about a number of the wishes NTL was able to make happen in March 2004:
Lady In Assisted Living Facility Asks For Limo Ride For Her Friend
Two years ago, Bonnie wanted to do something nice for a friend, rather than ask for something for herself. Two years later, Bonnie unselfishly asks for a limo ride from the Hearth at Windermere where she resides to Avon where a longtime friend of hers stays housebound most of the time. Bonnie's friend, Mary, has Alzheimer's disease and is no longer capable of driving to go anywhere.
On March 5th, John Brewer with Airport Executive Car Service picked up both ladies and took them to a place in Avon for lunch. Just getting out of the house, which has become like a prison to her, lifted Mary out of her depression and made her feel alive again.
80-Year Old Cancer Patient Goes To See Lion King In A Limo
On March 26th, Mary turned 80 years old. For her birthday, she wanted to take a limo ride and see the Lion King performed at the Murat Theatre. Mary told John Brewer, who drove the limo, that this birthday was the best she could remember in a long, long time.
Essie Wants To See Her First Ever Live Pacers Game
Essie is 80 years old and lives at Silver Oaks Health Campus in Columbus, IN. Her wish was to attend a live Pacers game for the very first time. NTL purchased four tickets so that Essie, her son, daughter-in-law, and a Silver Oaks staff member could attend a Pacers game on March 8th. Silver Oaks provided the van with lift.
The beautiful part about this wish is that Essie got to get out of Columbus for only the second time in her life. Long ago, her family took a trip to Florida. This "outing" to Indianapolis meant a lot to her-plus she saw the home team "win!"
80-Year Old Man With Parkinson's Wants To See Yanni In Concert
Before he was stricken with Parkinson's, Gene was quite a ballroom dancer. He loves all types of music, but it is Yanni's music that brings comfort to his soul. Gene's kids purchased tickets to the concert for him and his wife, Alice.
Since Gene is wheelchair bound, the couple needed special transportation to and from the concert. NTL paid for the use of a van with a lift for the evening. We attempted to arrange a meet and greet with Yanni before or after the show, but that didn't happen. Gene and Alice still enjoyed the performance immensely-it was just good to get away from home and go out on the town.
Hoosier Transplant Wants To See First Live Pacer Game
Have a winning season, and every fan wants to see the home team in action. Mary moved to Indianapolis fourteen years ago and became an instant Pacers fan. She had always wanted to attend a live game.
On March 22nd, John Brewer, with Airport Executive Car Service, picked up Mary and a close friend at her apartment and drove them to the game. Afterwards, on the way home, Mary told John she had the "best time" and that seeing the game in person was thrilling.
86-Year Old Woman Wants Historical Society Membership Renewed
Pat is 86 years old, lives in a nursing home, and has the beginning stages of Alzheimer's. In spite of the memory sapping disease, Pat still loves anything to do with history and genealogy. She and her late husband joined the Indiana Historical Society back in 1961.
Pat's wish-have her Indiana Historical Society membership renewed. The annual fee is only $35.00, but when you are living on a fixed and limited income, even that small amount of money seems out of reach. When I talked with Dara Brooks, the Membership Director at the Historical Society, she gladly renewed Pat's membership at no charge. Sometimes the simplest of wishes have the most profound effect on peoples' lives.
Lillian Takes Her First Ever Airplane Ride At Age 95
In April of 2003, Cindy Blackburn, the Social Services Director at a nursing home in New Castle, IN read a little two-paragraph blurb about NTL in the local paper. A year later, Cindy called NTL with a wish for 95-year old Lillian.
Lillian had always wanted to fly in an airplane. In fact, her son had tried on several occasions to take his mother flying. She even went so far as to get into a plane, and then asked to get out of the plane before it taxied down the runway.
Finally, at age 95, Lillian worked up the courage to stay the course and take a discovery flight over the New Castle area. She was thrilled to be able to fly over her old homestead and the pond where she had been baptized as a little girl.
We managed to "connect the dots" and find the right pilot. I had the pleasure of meeting La Donna Jensen at an Alzheimer's Conference in October of 2001. She told me that her husband flew for UPS and volunteered his services for a future flight wish. When I called Jerry Jensen, he contacted two friends, Tony Broadwell and Marshall Smith, who co-own a plane. They provided the plane and the gas so that Lillian's wish could occur.
57-Year Old Man With Terminal Cancer Tours Conseco Fieldhouse
Chuck is battling cancer of the jaw and tongue. Even in his weakened condition, he still loves to watch Pacer basketball. Chuck had always wanted to see the behind-the-scenes activities at the Conseco Fieldhouse.
Darnell Hillman, a 6'9" giant of a man (and with a heart to match the size of his physical stature) who played with the ABA Pacers and now works for the team in Community Relations, agreed to take Chuck, his brother and sister-in-law on a private tour of the facility. Although his brother brought along a wheel chair, Chuck was so pumped, he walked during the entire one-hour tour. Darnell managed to secure a signed picture of Larry Bird, plus the Pacers presented Chuck with a "goodie bag" of Pacer memorabilia.
Centenarian (+1) Wants Power Recliner To Sleep In At Night
I first read about this amazing 101-year old woman in the Indianapolis Star. Elizabeth told the reporter that it was "plain livin'" that enabled her to live this long.
I contacted the retirement center where she lived and they connected me with her granddaughter. I asked if Elizabeth had any unfulfilled wishes. A few days later, I received a call from the granddaughter. It turned out that Elizabeth had not been sleeping in her own bed for months-the bed hurt her joints too much. She was sleeping in a rocker that didn't even recline. This woman indeed has "true grit."
When I contacted John Ausbrooks, the President of Accessibility Products, he had read the same Star article that caught my attention. John contacted Golden Technologies (manufacturers of power lift/recliner chairs) and they deeply discounted the price on a chair that retails for $784.00. John picked up the tab for the chair and even donated the delivery of the chair to Elizabeth on rare sunny day in March.
Elizabeth read the entire instruction manual on the day of delivery (she looks and acts like a young 75). The next day, she told her granddaughter that she actually slept the entire night through-something she hadn't been able to do for ages!
Inner City Nursing Home Residents Want To See Live Pacers Game
Three male residents (and two staff members) at a local Indy nursing home got to see their first ever live Pacers game. All three men were wheelchair bound, so we got the best chairs available near the center court walkway. The five folks from Rural Healthcare watched the Pacers pulverize the New Jersey Nets!
77-Year Old Ethel Gets To Go See Rural Missionary Daughter
Ethel hasn't spent any quality time with her daughter during the past five years. Her wish was to be able to fly to Charlotte, NC where her daughter and son-in-law would pick her up and take her to where they served their church as rural missionaries. Ethel got to spend two glorious weeks with her kids and enjoyed every precious moment of the visit.
NTL Partners With Fairygodmother Foundation To Fulfill A Wish
Occasionally, we have the privilege to partner with other adult wish-making groups throughout the country to bring some joy into the lives of others. Melvin, a 64-year old father and grandfather with end-stage ALS had a wish-he wanted to be able to attend his daughter's wedding in Las Vegas and escort her down the aisle at the chapel.
FGM arranged for the hotel and car rental in Vegas. NTL participated in this wish by splitting the cost of the airfare for Melvin (was a costly flight out of Decatur, IL). The wedding pictures sent to NTL said it all-Melvin had a wonderful time!
WWII Veteran Wants General To Pin On His Medals At Ceremony
82- year old Murray served his country well from 1942 to 1945. He earned eight combat medals, including a Bronze Star for bravery in battle, but he never received the treasures until March of 2004.
Murray lives in a nursing home and he has crippling arthritis and bad lungs. The nursing home Chaplain, Gordon Nichols, was responsible for working through six months of Army red tape to secure the long-awaited medals for Murray.
Retired Army Major Chris Barnthouse contacted Brigadier General Mike Kiefer to pin the medals on Murray at a special ceremony at the Indiana War Memorial. Congresswoman Julia Carson sent her chief of staff, Sarge Visher, to present Murray with a Congressional Congratulatory letter for his meritorious service to his country. Friends and family members from two states came to Indy for Murray's special day.
The highlight of the ceremony took place after the actual presentation. With some assistance, Murray arose from his wheel chair, came to attention, and saluted the General as best he could. It was one of the proudest moments in Murray's long life.
82-Year Old Man Wants TV With Closed Caption Capability
Delmar is a WWII Veteran who is nearly totally deaf. He lives all alone in a subsidized apartment, and he couldn't hear the voices on his old TV. Since Delmar seldom leaves the safety of his apartment, his TV is his lifeline to the outside world. NTL contacted Terry Banks at ITR Electronics and he sold us a reconditioned 25" TV with closed caption and delivered the set and installed it. Delmar is all SMILES now!
62-Year Old Hospice Patient Wants New Suit To Wear To Church
On Sunday, March 28th, we met Lavone and his hospice volunteer, Jenee at a department store to find an Easter suit for the gentleman. His niece was going to pick him up at the nursing home on Easter and take him to church. Lavone wanted a new suit to wear on Easter morning.
He picked out a beautiful double-breasted suit, with two shirts and ties to match. Lavone also needed a belt and a new pair of comfortable dress shoes (he was suffering with gout) and some dress socks. The clerk even through in some handkerchiefs.
Lavone got to go to church on Easter Sunday in his new suit. He passed away nine days later and he was buried in that same suit. We were all pleased that he lived long enough to make his wish come true.
79-Year Old Woman Wants To Have Dinner With Her Friends
Marge had a simple wish. She wanted to take her friend and her daughter and her former neighbor and her daughter to a restaurant that specialized in home-style cooking. On March 20th, Marge's wish came true and the five friends dined at Hollyhock Hill. It was Marge's first time to eat at this well-known landmark restaurant; she enjoyed every bite.
Full Time Caregiver Of 80-Year Old Spouse Is Pampered At A Day Spa
Remember Gene, the Yanni fan, who took his wife to a Yanni concert? Well now it was time for his wife Alice to have a wish fulfilled. Over The Top Nails & Boutique provided a complimentary pampering session for Alice one afternoon. Alice thoroughly enjoyed her pedicure, manicure, and full-body massage. Alice felt completely rejuvenated, and she was ready to resume her role as dutiful wife to her ailing husband.
79-Year Old Hospice Patient Goes Shopping For New Wardrobe
When her granddaughter could no longer care for her on a 24/7 basis, Alice went to the nursing home. She was on oxygen and doing kidney dialysis three days a week. She came to the nursing home with just the clothes on her back. Although she didn't feel well most of the time, Alice never complained, usually had a smile on her face, and won the hearts of the nursing home staff as well as the hospice workers.
The hospice office took up a collection and the nursing home staff dug into their own pockets to be able to buy some new clothes for Alice. NTL upped the ante and provided a gift card to Wal-Mart. A wonderful NTL volunteer (Mary Ann Phelan) chauffeured Alice and a nursing home staff person and hospice worker to Wal-Mart.
I met the foursome at the nursing home to take pictures of their outing. Marge could barely get out of the wheelchair and into the car.
Four hours later, I received a call from the nursing home social worker. Monica told me that Alice was pumped up and excited during the entire shopping spree. She laughed and smiled the whole time; she was thrilled to be out shopping with the other ladies.
After they shopped, Marge was craving Dairy Queen ice cream. She consumed an entire banana split (the social worker knew the dialysis team would not be happy with her the next day). Then, the minor miracle happened. As they left the DQ, Alice shed the wheel chair, and leaning on the arms of two of her companions, she "SKIPPED" back to the car. Monica could not believe her eyes!
Alice commented later on that she hadn't had so much fun in her entire life. She said that her shopping and eating time with the other women was a day she would never forget.