A Fur-ever Friend

Make-A-Wish® Connecticut granted three-year-old Jaxson Santiago’s wish to have a puppy.

Jaxson loves to play and have fun with his family and friends. However, between treatments, doctor’s visits and various surgical procedures for cancer, Jaxson has had little time to do so. He is dealing with a lot more than the average three-year-old.

Jaxson loves animals. When deciding what to wish for, it was clear what Jaxson had in mind. He wanted a furry companion to make his family of four, five. Jaxson’s father, mother and older sister were also on board. Jaxson’s wish for a puppy came as no surprise to his mom because “Jaxson shares a very special bond with his grandparents’ dogs, and we all knew Jaxson would love to have a dog to call his own.” After doing some research, they decided that a goldendoodle would make the perfect companion.

On his wish day, Jaxson and his family arrived by limousine and were greeted by staff and the goldendoodle puppy at Blue Buffalo’s Wish House, located just a few steps away from the main entrance of the Make-A-Wish Connecticut Wishing Place.

Jaxson spent most of his wish day running around and exploring Blue’s Wish House, as well as the rest of the pet-friendly Make-A-Wish Connecticut campus with his brand new goldendoodle puppy by his side. They chose the name Charlie because it fit his sweet personality. Jaxson’s dad shares that “Charlie is a great dog; he’s well behaved and we’re enjoying him.”

The great time Jaxson and Charlie shared at Blue’s Wish House was just the beginning of the fun they continue to have together. They love to play outside, run around, and hang out, as they are both still just little kids growing up together. The two are inseparable and have become fur-ever friends.

Jaxson’s dad said, “we’ve never had our own pet before. Just to see my son be happy when he is around his dog has brought a light to the whole family - we all enjoy him. Jaxson and Charlie are true companions and Jaxson is proud to call Charlie his dog.”

A big thank you to Safari Stan’s Pet Center for helping to make Jaxon’s wish come true. Thanks too to Blue Buffalo for sponsoring the Blue’s Wish House where wish kids, like Jaxson, can meet their new furry friends on their wish days.

Make-A-Wish is in the business of delivering hope, and hope has never been more important than now for our wish kids. It can be difficult to continue to hope when we have had so many dreams deferred due circumstances beyond our control, but the moment we have something to look forward to, everything begins to change. Hope is a superpower that kids living with critical illness, like Jaxson, have been tapping into long before many of us heard the word, “lockdown.” Helping more kids find hope is something we all have the power to do, because for these children—as for all of us—the promise of a wish is so much more than a temporary escape. It’s a wellspring of strength to keep fighting for better days. Hope is essential for children living with critical illnesses and you can unlock its transformative power today. Don’t wait for hope; create it! Donate now at ct.wish.org.