NEW ORLEANS, Fla. — Make-A-Wish, the world’s largest wish-providing agency for critically ill children, has partnered with Fanatics (the organization’s official sports partner) and the NFL to deliver unique experiences to 19 families at Super Bowl LIX.
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The 19 families traveled from across the county and 9 different states to New Orleans for the upcoming game.
Below is a breakdown of the 5-day experiences Wish families were able to experience:
Wednesday, Feb. 5 - Make-A-Wish hosted a welcome party for families at longtime partner Dave & Buster’s. Fanatics also organized a spirited trading card activation event.
Thursday, Feb. 6 - Wish families took a behind-the-scenes tour of Caesars Superdome. Later in the evening, wish kids walked the red carpet at the annual NFL Honors event, which they attended as well.
Friday, Feb. 7 - Wish families visited a local Locker Room by Lids store, where they received a $250 gift to shop around the store, which featured exclusive Super Bowl LIX merchandise. NFL stars Jahmyr Gibbs, Tristian Wirfs, and the 2025 draft prospect from Arizona State Cameron Skattebo, surprised the kids and helped them pick out their game-day gear.
Saturday, Feb. 8 - Wish families attended the first-ever Super Bowl Host Committee Parade in the French Quarter, featuring a star-studded lineup of celebrity guests and athletes
Sunday, Feb. 9 - The wish experience will culminate in the wish kids taking their seats in the Caesars Superdome to watch the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs go head-to-head.
“Nothing could be more inspiring than watching our kids and their families connect and create cherished memories at such an iconic event,” said Leslie Motter, president and CEO at Make-A-Wish America. “These families have faced unimaginable challenges, and we are honored to provide them with this experience they’ll never forget thanks to our partners like NFL, Fanatics, and more.”
Last year marked the first time Fanatics partnered with Make-A-Wish to make Wish Kid’s wishes happen. Since kicking off its partnership in 2023, Fanatics has enhanced more than 500 sports-related wishes, with plans to expand further.
The connection between the NFL and Make-A-Wish started shortly after the organization was founded in 1980. The first wish granted was for John Paul Serna, a 12-year-old Arizona boy who attended Super Bowl XVI in 1982. This was just the ninth wish in Make-A-Wish history, and in the 43 years since, over 300 wishes have been granted at the Super Bowl, along with hundreds more through the 32 teams and their players.
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