L I F E S T YLE I n t he K n ow
Make-A Wish grants Ferndale resident superstar treatment Story by Jessica Pain
The crowd cheers as Kielan Lynch arrives at Bellingham’s Best Buy on Tuesday, Feb. 12, in a Ford Excursion stretch limousine accompanied by a police escort. His personal bodyguard helps him from the limo onto a red carpet, lined with about 80 screaming fans yelling his name and holding signs that say, “Kielan is the man,” and “I love Kielan.” As he exits the limo, his eyes light up at the large crowd. He starts off down the red carpet with a small stumble, which prompts his mother, Angelique, to tie his shoe. Wearing a tuxedo with a cane and sunglasses, Kielan continues along the red carpet happily signing his fans’ signs and clothing. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Alaska and Washington made this dream celebrity experience and shopping spree a reality for the 13-year-old Vista Middle School student who was diagnosed with liver cancer last spring. The foundation worked with the Bellingham community and the local Best Buy and Target to make Kielan’s wish possible. Local residents, classmates and Kielan fans were ecstatic at the opportunity to get his autograph. One girl shouted to her friend, “He signed my shirt!” Another giggled, “He signed my sunglasses!” One even screamed, “Oh my gosh, he touched my hand!” “I feel like a real superstar, and it feels amazing,” Kielan said. “The fans are awesome and everyone wants my autograph; it’s like I’m a real celebrity!” Because even 13-year-old celebrities have to go to school, Kielan had to wait through a whole seven hours of school before his shopping spree could begin. When the bell rang at 2:05 p.m., he surprised his classmates with free ice cream. Once Kielan made his way to Best Buy and finished walking the red carpet, employees approached him to escort him on his shopping spree. Wearing T-shirts covered in Kielan’s name, Best Buy specialists helped him pick out a flat-screen TV, laptop and gaming system with games.
Photos by Ryan Duclos
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NorthSoundLife.com
Kielan often paused to ask his personal bodyguard for advice on which items to choose. Kielan issued a special invitation to Larrick Winslow, a Ferndale School resource officer, to join his security detail. Winslow said that he was honored to have been part of Kielan’s day. As Kielan walked toward the Best Buy register to check out, his mother cried tears of joy. She said this experience is a reminder of everything her son has been through. Kielan was diagnosed with liver cancer at the end of April 2012. Within days of his diagnosis, he had surgery to remove a tumor the size of an orange, as well as part of his liver. He undergoes CT scans every three months to monitor his progress. Both Kielan and his mother are grateful for Make-AWish for planning such a memorable event. Kielan counted down the days for his superstar moment; the night before he barely got any sleep because of his excitement. Every autograph and hug Kielan gave on the red carpet was a memory made of a wish that came true.