Rantoul Boy's Heartfelt Wish Comes True with 4-Legged Friend from Make-A-Wish

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RANTOUL, Ill. (WCIA) — A heartfelt wish came true for a family in Rantoul when their son, Ezra, received his Make-A-Wish dream this week.

Ezra, who is just two years old, suffers from an incurable condition affecting his brain and spinal cord. Despite these challenges, Ezra’s radiant smile brings joy to everyone around him. Thanks to Make-A-Wish, he now has a new furry companion to bring even more happiness into his life.

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“Norman chose us, and especially chose Ezra,” shared Ashley Thornton, Ezra’s mother.

It was a moment of instant connection when Ezra’s wish was fulfilled. Norman, their new canine friend, quickly bonded with the family, making the selection process easy. Thornton explained that upon meeting, Norman didn’t want to leave their side.

“GM1 gangliosidosis is a rare, terminal neurological condition,” Thornton explained. “Over time, it progressively deteriorates everything.”

“Children with that type typically don’t live past their fifth birthday, and Ezra will be three in January. With the decline that we’ve seen in the past month, we’re not sure if we have that long,” Thornton said.

However, they will be making the most of every single second, hoping to bring as much joy to their son as he does to them.

“He enjoys singing, when we sing to him. He loves music,” Thornton said.

Ezra also loves his siblings so much — and his siblings love him right back.

“For him to be able to smile when he sees me and when he gets in the car, he’s always laughing and kicking his legs and looking at me. It just makes me so happy,” Ezra’s sister Kendall said.

Thornton said that choosing a wish was tough to narrow down, but Norman turned out to be more than they hoped for.

“It’s something that stays constant in Ezra’s life, and unfortunately, after Ezra is no longer with us, this is something that will be constant for the whole family,” Thornton said.

Ezra found a way to show them they made the right choice when they first picked Norman up.

“Ezra doesn’t cognitively know how to pet a dog or know what it is to apply pressure or how to do it in the correct way. Ezra laid his hand on Norman and just started petting him in the most gentle, loving, caring way,” his mom shared.

Because sometimes, the greatest wish isn’t what you ask for, it’s the love that finds you.

Thornton also said that Make-A-Wish didn’t just cover Norman’s fees, but they’re paying for his training. Her goal is for their new puppy to be a therapy dog, to help more kids like Ezra.