American Fork girl granted trip via Make-A-Wish Utah, Breeze Airways partnership
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- 12-year-old Sophia Ostler, center, and her parents are pictured during a ceremony to grant her a wish through Make-A-Wish Utah and Breeze Airways on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Sophia will get to visit Disney World in February 2025.
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- Sophia Ostler receives a gift from Breeze Airways’ kindness ambassador, Herb Lang of the Harlem Globetrotters, during a ceremony Monday, Nov. 11, 2024.
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- Daniel Dudley, CEO or Make-A-Wish Utah, left, and David Neeleman, CEO of Breeze Airways, speak to a crowd during a ceremony at Make-A-Wish Utah’s headquarters Monday, Nov. 11, 2024.
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- Representatives from Breeze Airways and Make-A-Wish Utah pose for a photo with Sophia Ostler, center, during a ceremony Monday, Nov. 11, 2024.
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- Sophia Ostler enters a room pushed in her wheelchair by her father, Craig Ostler, during a surprise ceremony Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Sophia learned that her wish to go to Disney World is being granted.
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- 12-year-old Sophia Ostler is shown during a surprise ceremony Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Sophia learned that her wish to go to Disney World is being granted.
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- Daniel Dudley, CEO of Make-A-Wish Utah, holds a microphone so Sophia Ostler can address the crowd during a ceremony Monday, Nov. 11, 2024.
Sophia Ostler has the spirit of a champion and a sense of humor that can light up a room.
The 12-year-old American Fork girl’s vibrant personality was on full display Monday afternoon at the Make-A-Wish Utah headquarters in Murray when she and her family received the news that her wish to go to Disney World will be fulfilled.
Sophia is wheelchair-bound after a car crash last year left her paralyzed from the neck down. She also has to use a tracheal tube to help her breathe and a gastrostomy tube that helps her eat and drink.
As Sophia was pushed into a room — decked out with streamers, balloons and Disney-themed decorations — she was greeted by a crowd of employees and staff from Breeze Airways and Make-A-Wish Utah clapping and applauding.
“I didn’t really know what to expect, but I really had fun seeing everybody, because it’s cool to see how many people are involved in things like this,” Sophia said.
Going to Disneyworld and Universal Studios is a dream come true, she said, adding that she’s excited to share the experience with her 3-year-old sister.
“I’m really looking forward to Disney World and getting to see my little sister meet Mickey Mouse and Princess Jasmine and stuff,” Sophia said.
Another bonus is that the theme park has a bevy of wheelchair-accessible rides and attractions.
“I’m also excited to eat all the food they have,” Sophia added.
Craig Ostler, Sophia’s dad, expressed gratitude to both Make-A-Wish Utah and Breeze Airways in making the travel experience easier for families with special needs.
“We haven’t traveled or done much, and anything we’ve thought about doing, we’ve kind of ruled out, because all you hear are kind of horror stories about expensive chairs just getting destroyed,” he said.
Providing stress-free travel for children with various challenges is at the heart of a new partnership between Breeze and Make-A-Wish Utah. The two companies will collaborate to help grant wishes for children with critical illnesses.
Monday’s big news for Sophia was part of an overall proclamation ceremony and launch of the Breeze for Wishes Flight Program, which aims to support the Make-A-Wish Utah organization with wish-related travel needs when applicable to help make excursions possible for more Utah children, according to a press release.
“Travel has the power to create unforgettable memories while providing a much-deserved reprieve from the daily challenges faced by these brave kids and their families, and we can’t wait to help facilitate more of these cherished moments in the coming months and years,” said David Neeleman, founder and CEO of Breeze Airways.
For more than 40 years, Make-A-Wish Utah, an independent chapter of Make-A-Wish America, has been serving Utah children and families. Since 1985, the organization has granted over 4,700 wishes for children battling critical illness.
Daniel Dudley, CEO and president of Make-A-Wish Utah, said the new partnership will prove to be vital in helping lifelong dreams become a reality for children facing extreme circumstances.
As part of the partnership, Breeze will provide flights to some of the most requested destinations for Make-A-Wish kids.
“They (Breeze) will provide flights for over 100 families — Utah families who have a child with a life-threatening medical condition — to their wish destination, whether that be Orlando, Florida, or Santa Ana in California,” Dudley told reporters. “So they are truly making wishes come true.”
In total, Make-A-Wish Utah plans to grant at least 220 wishes within the next year, but Dudley says that doesn’t happen without the help of donors.
“Make-A-Wish Utah is purely funded by local donations, whether those be cash donations or in kind donations. So it is through the kindness and generosity of companies and community members that wishes are granted,” he said.
“Partners like Breeze Airways, their employees and generous guests are vital to helping achieve our vision to grant the wish of every eligible child in Utah,” Dudley added.
Monday’s announcement also came at the start of Breeze’s Kindness Week campaign.
Sophia was showered with other gifts as part of Monday’s event, presented by Breeze’s kindness ambassador, Herb Lang of the Harlem Globetrotters.
As the Ostlers prepare for their trip to Orlando, set for sometime in February, Sophia says she plans to retain her positive attitude and infectious sense of humor in spite of the cards life has currently dealt to her.
“I’m in pain some days, but it’s alright, because you just got to keep going — because that’s the only way things get better,” she said.
