A 13-Year Old Uses His Make-a-Wish Grant to Feed the Homeless for a Year – Opinion

A small boy with a big name: Adeola “Abraham” Olagbegi, received a life-saving gift of a bone marrow transplant. Abraham then turned the tables and gave that gift back to his community of Jackson, Mississippi.

This is the beginning of our Feel Good Friday story.

A Make-A-Wish wish came true for this 13-year-old girl. She wanted to make sure her wishes would last. The 13-year-old decided that he would use the money to provide food for homeless people for a year. pic.twitter.com/k8nG6BS55j

— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) November 12, 2021

CBS News

Abraham Olagbegi was 13 years old when he discovered he had a rare blood condition and that he needed to have a bone marrow donor. A year later, he discovered better news. He was eligible for Make-A-Wish. The organization grants wishes to children who have serious illnesses.

Abraham’s rare blood disorder is called, “aplastic anemia,” where the body does not produce enough new blood cells. It can lead to fatigue as well as increased risk of infection and hemophilia.

In a profile of Abraham from Jackson’s local WLBT News, we learned Abraham was diagnosed in June of 2020, and received his bone marrow transplant in November of 2020.

Abraham stated to WLBT:

“I had my transplant 10 months ago in November 2020, so I am doing good.”

For context, these are the shocking facts about bone marrow donors from the Institute for Justice.

• Over 130,000 Americans will get diagnosed with serious blood disorders this year.
• Leukemia, a form of blood cancer, will affect 44,000 Americans in this year. This includes 3,500 children.  About half the adult population will die and 700 children are at risk.
• Leukemia is the most prevalent childhood cancer.
• A mere 30 percent of bone marrow patients needing a transplant do not have a match in their family.
• Rest 70% must believe that the national registry will help them find a suitable stranger..
• Around 7,500 Americans search the national registry at any one time for unrelated donors.
• National registry only 21% of the population.
• Many of the people on the national bone-marrow registry are unable to locate donors or won’t donate when requested.  The percentages of donors who are available and willing are:  65 for Caucasians; 47 percent for Hispanics; 44 percent for Asians; African-Americans: 34 Percent.
• African American patients often find a unrelated donor 25% of the times.
• There is a 80 percent chance of an African-American finding a match in the registry..

Abraham managed to find a donor for him and received his transplant within a year. This is truly a miracle.

Abraham shared with WLBT his Make-A-Wish story:

[T]The 13-year old boy and his family used to feed homeless people every month, making sure they got hot meals before the diagnosis of a serious illness.

“It was always a good thing to do, and that’s what I grew up doing that.

So, I go back to my roots to do what I was taught to do,” Adeola ‘Abraham’ Olagbegi said.

CBS received an additional story about Abraham and his mother Miriam Olagberi from Abraham. Abraham was not only able to fulfill one wish but also a life-long wish. Miriam was able to join him in sharing this idea.

“I remember we were coming home from one of his doctor appointments and he said, ‘Mom, I thought about it, and I really want to feed the homeless,’”

Abraham’s mom, Miriam Olagbegi, told CBS News. “I said, ‘Are you sure Abraham? You could do a lot … You sure you don’t want a PlayStation?’”

Abraham was not attracted to the PlayStation, unlike many teenager boys. Abraham was certain of his desire to feed the hungry.

Abraham’s dad thought it was an awesome idea, too, Miriam said. “So, of course, we weren’t going to miss an opportunity like that because we always tried to instill giving into our children.”

Miriam Olagbegi deserves a lot of credit for planting the seeds to help others in her family and encouraging Abraham to act in a way that reflected his desire to help. It is amazing that this young man who suffered a lot, but wanted to help others, was able to give back in a world full of selfish, even devious young people via TikTok.

Abraham organized a September day of food distribution in Jackson, Mississippi with help from Make-As-Wish. Food and supplies were donated by local businesses. Abraham claimed that the event fed around 80 people.

But Abraham’s wish wasn’t complete. Make-A-Wish has made the commitment to help Abraham feed Jackson’s homeless until August 2022! Linda Sermons, Make-A-Wish Mississippi Chapter said this was the first gift they have made in all of their twenty-plus years in Mississippi.

With these words, Abraham spoke out his immense faith and heart.

“I am a person of hope, so when you come against a big mountain, you have to remember you have a big God,” Adeola ‘Abraham’ Olagbegi said.

“It is just a blessing to see people getting fed. When I leave, I am going to feel joyful.”

May the world produce more mothers like Miriam Olagbegi who raise children like Adeola “Abraham” Olagbegi.

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