Ryan Age 8 Gorham, Maine "I wish to see the Red Sox BEAT the Yankees at Fenway Park"

Eight-year-old Ryan is an avid Red Sox fan. In August his mother contacted Make-A-Wish with his request. She wrote, "My son Ryan has a life-threatening heart condition called Long QT Syndrome. Ryan has a pacemaker/ defibrillator that was implanted after he had cardiac arrest two years ago. His dream is to see a Red Sox vs. Yankees game at Fenway Park...we have tried to do this for him but tickets are beyond our reach at this time. I thank you for your consideration in making our very sweet boy's wish come true."

Ryan's wish, as it turned out, was a bit more specific. "I wish to see the Red Sox BEAT the Yankees at Fenway Park," he told his wishgranters.

While Make-A-Wish couldn't guarantee the outcome of the game, other details could be arranged in style. Longtime supporters of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine, Charles and Theresa Gendron heard of Ryan's request and secured excellent field box tickets for the October 2nd game between the two rival teams.

Decked out in a new baseball cap and a Johnny Damon jersey, Ryan and his family enjoyed a limousine ride to Boston on his wish day and, as it turned out, attended a most exciting game. In the bottom of the fifth inning, the outfield message boards flashed that the Cleveland Indians lost their game that day, which meant that the Red Sox would go to the playoffs and continue their quest for another World Series title. Ryan, along with a sold out stadium full of fans, was on his feet cheering.

The Red Sox went on to beat the Yankees 10 to 1, and Ryan left Fenway with an autographed ball and a beaming smile.

Wish Granters:  Terry Bartick and Kimberly Millett

Wishmaker®:   Charles and Theresa Gendron

Special thanks to:  Michael's Limousine, Olympia Sports, Walden Books,
Bugaboo Creek Steak House - So. Portland