Make-A-Wish North Texas is dedicated to offering life-changing experiences to children facing critical illnesses, and one North Texas boy recently had his biggest dream fulfilled.
“If a child can dream it, we’ll do what we can to make it happen,” Kim Elenez, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish North Texas, previously told The Dallas Express.
James Persson, 9, wished to be a Texas Ranger baseball player for a day. He was born with a rare congenital heart condition known as hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS).
In the United States, approximately 1 in every 3,955 babies are born with HLHS, as reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
When an infant has HLHS, this indicates that the heart’s left side is not fully developed, resulting in symptoms such as a bluish or purplish coloration in the lips, skin, and nails, problems with breathing, challenges with feeding, and lethargy, reported Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
James was born with just half a heart and given a 50-50 chance of survival. However, after three heart surgeries, James continues to beat the odds, per CBS News Texas.
“He’s a miracle child,” James’ mom, Lindsey Persson, told CBS News.
At age 6, James began playing T-ball, and his passion for the sport has not waned. Now, at age 9, James participates in a league where he pitches and plays first base.
His family knew his one wish, and they are genuinely thankful that Make-A-Wish would grant it: to be a Texas Ranger baseball player.
“I just really like this baseball team and the players. I like Garcia and Seager and Semien,” James said, per CBS News.
James spent his day visiting the stadium, meeting public address announcer Chuck Morgan, and participating in batting practice. He also joined the Texas Rangers in the clubhouse before the game, where he received his very own Texas Rangers jersey.
“I’ve been wanting to do this because I wanted to see what it would feel like to be a baseball player when I grow up and play,” James said.
“Every 20 minutes, a child is diagnosed with a critical illness,” per Make-A-Wish’s website.
Make-A-Wish North Texas covers 161 Texas counties, traversing “from Dallas to Fort Worth to Amarillo to Lubbock to Odessa to El Paso,” Elenez said, offering once-in-a-lifetime experiences to offer a break from the focus on illness.
If you’d like to help make a difference in a child’s life, you can donate to Make-A-Wish North Texas by clicking here. If you know a child who could benefit from a wish, you can refer them by clicking here.