Make-A-Wish Colorado Gives Hope, Makes Dreams Come True

DENVER (CBS4) – Despite the coronavirus, Make-A-Wish Colorado is still granting wishes for kids facing critical illnesses. Many of the current wishes are camping trips, and backyard makeovers, a sign of the pandemic times.

Vincent Bonacquisti got to do his wish of a lifetime before COVID hit. He and his family got to go on the set of the newest MARVEL movie.

"Yea, it was really cool," Bonacquisti said. "Make-A-Wish flew me out to London, where they were filming a new MARVEL movie called Black Widow."

He's been sworn to secrecy about what he saw, but he did meet Scarlett Johansson, and got to see some of what goes into making a big budget movie.

"I have a background in theater, and obviously, I like comic books. So the most interesting part to me was seeing all the work that goes into making a movie," Bonacquisti explained.

Bonacquisti was granted the wish during his battle against leukemia. He spent 7-months getting intense chemotherapy and then a stem cell transplant.

"As a Make-A-Wish kid, looking forward to my wish was one of the things that got me through the hospital…gave me something to look forward to," he told CBS4.

"I didn't realize how much I was looking forward to it. I mean it was a vacation for all of us, and to celebrate something. And I didn't even know I needed it," said Judi Bonacquisti, Vincent's mom.

Now that Vincent is cancer free, his whole family will be giving back to Make-A-Wish Colorado, raising money during Walk for Wishes.

"There's so many kids that are battling something, cancer or some other affliction, and they need that support," said Paul Bonacquisti, Vincent's dad.

Team InVINcible is taking up the challenge, like true super heroes. The Bonacquisti's will be walking in Commons Park in Denver's LoHi neighborhood. You can donate to their team, or do the walk in your neighborhood and raise money for Make-A-Wish Colorado. Registration is free at www.walkforwishes.org.

There will be a very small, masked, and socially distanced walk in Washington Park. Make-A-Wish Colorado will host a Welcome Ceremony at 9 a.m. on Facebook Live.