Meet Erick “Josh”

Diagnosed at birth with congenital heart disease, Erick (who goes by his middle name, Josh) required immediate surgery to repair his heart valve. Three years later, surgery was required again for a leaky mitral valve, which led to the discovery of a collapsed lung. Josh was then put on an extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine which does the work of a child’s heart and lungs.

The complications evolved from there, from bed sores to a two-month coma, during which time he also went into kidney failure. Throughout this arduous ordeal, Josh lost significant physical abilities and to this day requires daily peritoneal dialysis at home. If his kidney function improves, he will be eligible for a heart transplant.

Despite all this, Josh remains positive. His attitude towards the hardships he faces is to take them in stride. He doesn’t know any other way. When he learned he was eligible for a life-changing wish,

Josh’s love of all things Marvel and Star Wars led him to Walt Disney World®. He imagined himself at Galaxy’s Edge for the ultimate Star Wars experience, including getting outfitted with his own light saber. He also wanted to visit Pandora for Avatar items and – even though he has strict dietary constraints – he found a couple of menu items at the Space 220 restaurant at Epcot that he couldn’t wait to try.

Josh had his entire itinerary planned out before stepping foot on the airplane.

On the day of his wish reveal, Josh arrived at Cityneon with his family for what he thought was a fun day checking out the Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N tour. It was then that a cast of Marvel characters greeted him to take him on a personalized tour where he was truly immersed in a universe of Super Heroes. Josh was able to hold Thor’s Stormbreaker, enjoy some of his favorite snacks, and have a wonderful day with his family while learning his wish to go to Walt Disney World® was about to come true.

While at the parks, Josh and his family checked off every item on his itinerary. As a Super Hero fan, Josh loved experiencing the numerous Marvel-related attractions at Universal Studios, including Marvel Super Hero Island® in Universal’s Islands of Adventure. He was also able to visit the new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind attraction at EPCOT.

Josh’s medical conditions often inhibit the family’s ability to travel as he requires an oxygen concentrator 24/7 as well as an iron medication that needs to be refrigerated. Thanks to wonderful partners and the team at Give Kids the World Village, the trip went off without a hitch.

“This was a vacation we would have never done on our own,” said Josh’s mom, Flor. “We are beyond grateful with every single person that played a part in making my son’s wish come true. He had the best time of his life and I have not seen him this happy in a very long time. We felt like celebrities and loved by everyone.”

It was fitting that Cityneon Holdings, a global leader in immersive and epic experiences, took Josh’s wish reveal to the next level. Knowing that Josh is a huge Marvel fan, the company arranged to have a cast of Marvel characters on hand at their Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N inside of Treasure Island Las Vegas to surprise the teen when his wish was revealed. From being able to hold Thor’s weapon, Stormbreaker, to seeing all the props on the tour, superfan Josh had an epic experience before even stepping on the plane to Orlando.

“Making a positive impact in the Southern Nevada community by helping those faced with challenges to find their strength is a top priority for our team,” said Zoe Tan, Head of Business Development and General Manager of Victory Hill Exhibitions, Cityneon Holdings. “Working alongside Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada to make Josh’s wish come to life was truly incredible and we hope to continue this partnership and create unique memories for many more families.”