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A very special little seven year old had quite an interesting day Saturday. Malachi Hermann of Lindstrom was treated to a day of pampering from the Lindstrom Fire Department.

Malachi is not your average seven year old. He has been stricken with a genetic disease that has left him using a walker. Looking at Malachi, you would never guess that he has a life threatening affliction. There is a sparkle in his eye that seems to grow when he is around fire trucks and school busses. That is where the Lindstrom Fire Department comes in.

The Lindstrom Fire Department teamed up with Make-A-Wish Minnesota Foundation to create a day Malachi will never forget. For nearly two hours, Malachi and his siblings crawled into, touched everything, tried everything on, pushed every button in the Lindstrom Fire Hall.

When it was all over, the firefighters, along with Make-A-Wish, presented Malachi and his family with a trip on a Disney Cruise ship.

There is a misperception that all recipients for Make-A-Wish are terminally ill. That is not the case. In fact, Make-A-Wish caters only to children with life threatening illnesses. Wishes must be applied for either from the immediate family or by the child's physician. In Malachi's case, it was his doctor at St. Paul Children's hospital who requested the wish.

According to one of the grantors present, a wish is not limited to a dollar amount, and most wishes average around $6,000. Some wishes have asked for a renovation of the child's house, and then there are the children who wish to meet a Hollywood star or musician. Those wishes are a little harder to grant. Some stars are harder than others to contact. For instance, Oprah Winfrey will not meet Make-A-Wish children, because she has her own foundation. Brett Favre on the other hand is one of the most accessible celebrities around. Still, the most popular wish seems to be Disney related, either in the form of a cruise or a trip to Disney World.

As far as the granters knew, this was the first ever Chisago Lakes a recipient of a Make-A-Wish. One of the grantors, Lynda Tysver from the area, said they need to grant a minimum of two wishes per year to stay active in the foundation. The grantors work as "middle men" and are responsible for interviewing the children and the family to pinpoint the best possible wish. They would like the public to know that donations are welcome and appreciated. To make a donation or request a wish, you are encouraged to go to wishmn.org or call 612-767-9474.

Malachi along with his family are scheduled to depart August 28 for a week full of laughter and fun on their cruise.

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