NORTH GRAFTON – It’s not every day a treehouse is made out of wishes.
In a backyard near St. Mary’s Parish on Waterville Street, Make-A-Wish of Massachusetts and Rhode Island granted its 10,000th wish since it began 40 years ago.
“Kyle’s Krib” was built for 9-year-old Kyle Osterman, who is undergoing treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
On Friday, June 23, Kyle’s family, friends and plenty of supporters gathered in the back yard to celebrate the completion of this wish.
“This is absolutely beyond our wildest dreams,” said Stephanie Paglione, Kyle’s mother. “It’s really been an amazing journey.”
The treehouse was built by W.T. Rich Co. According to John Rich, the project started last August. Rich said that Kyle would often “hammer away” with the rest of the crew. The youngster also had a hand in planning.
“It was fun. It gives Kyle a nice treehouse for years to come,” he said.
Make-A-Wish was referred to the contractor by a longtime supporter, wish dad and Wish Community member Michael Dell Isola, who has built treehouses that fulfilled wishes for other children. W.T. Rich tapped into its network to bring together a team to make Kyle’s structure everything he imagined.
There’s another family touch – a punching bag that belongs to Kyle’s grandfather. It hangs next to a swing and other equipment installed around the treehouse.
Inside, some of Kyle’s favorite hobbies were on display – a drafting table donated by Cardi’s Furniture, where he can draw; a basketball-themed welcome mat; and a collection of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” DVDs.
When he arrived at the home, Make-A-Wish staff and volunteers formed a “cheer tunnel” to welcome him. They also cheered him during the presentations.
“I was blown away,” said Kara Walker, the vice president of marketing and communications. “The detail that went into it is incredible. They made it so personal.”
Jeff Kinney, the author of the “Wimpy Kid” series, surprised Kyle with custom art made specially for the treehouse.
Members of the Worcester Red Sox, including Smiley the mascot, also stopped by to wish Kyle well and present some gifts.
State Rep. David Muradian, who grew up with Kyle’s dad and uncles, presented Kyle with his State House pin.
“Wear it when you need a pick-me-up,” he said.
Kyle also got to meet the family who benefited from the first wish granted by the foundation. The O’Briens, who live in Wilmington, got to go to Maine to spend a week on the beach. Since then, the family has staged a fundraiser for Make-A-Wish so that other wishes may be granted.
In-kind and other support for this project was provided by Hasbro, Red Robin and the Naismith Foundation.
“There’s a spirit of generosity in all of us,” said Jonathan Rich, CEO of the W.T. Rich Co.
For information about the foundation, visit https://wish.org/massri.
