What an inspiring story! Isaac Martinez, a Temecula native, has never stopped giving back. It’s been three years since Isaac’s wish was granted by Make-A-Wish® and the entire Martinez family is still working to help grant the wishes of other children. On August 26, Isaac and his family will participate in the Inland Empire’s Inaugural Walk For Wishes® presented by Ontario Auto Center.
Isaac loves everything about pirates. Isaac draws maps of buried treasure in his room and always puts on his boldest pirate face when he is searching for hidden riches. When Make-A-Wish® offered the young leukemia patient anything his heart desired, he knew there was only one thing he wanted: to be a pirate captain for a day. In 2009, he and his family sailed away to USC’s Wrigley Marine Institute on Catalina Island for an adventurous treasure hunt.
On the island, Isaac was greeted by his pirate crew and after some pirate festivities, the odyssey began. During the expedition Isaac hunted buried treasure with a treasure map and kayaked through the ocean waters to find clues. Isaac was filled with wonder and awe as the journey concluded and the hidden loot was finally discovered. This was certainly a day that Captain Isaac will never forget.After his wish, Isaac spent the holidays as a Make-A-Wish® ambassador at the Temecula Macy’s Believe Station. Macy’s Believe campaign encourages children to write to Santa. Macy’s donates $1, up to $1 million, to Make-A-Wish® for every letter dropped in a Believe Station’s mailbox.
The Martinez family’s work didn’t stop there. Isaac’s uncle, Alex, wrote a book about Isaac’s battle against leukemia. Alex is donating a part of the proceeds to Make-A-Wish®. Most recently, Isaac was featured in an Allergan/Latisse Campaign for Make-A-Wish®.
On August 26, Isaac will continue his journey to help grant the wishes of other children by walking in the Inland Empire’s Inaugural Walk For Wishes® presented by Ontario Auto Center with his family. The festivities include a spirited walk at the Ontario Convention Center and a World of Wishes festival area.
Online registration for the walk is only $25 now until Friday, August 17, and $35 from August 18 to Friday, August 24. On site registration is available for $40 on the day of the event. Registration gains you an event T-shirt, food, a pass to the World of Wishes festival area, and entry into the Inland Empire Auto Show on the day of the walk. Meet Isaac and other wish families at the World of Wishes festival!
At the Inland Empire Auto Show families can explore the Kids Zone, which features face painting, games, and inflatables. The Sunday Auto Show schedule features the famous car show, the popular Food Truck Festival, and free test drives through the Ride and Drive Program. Visit www.IEAutoShow.com for more info on everything at the show.
To learn more about the Inland Empire’s Inaugural Walk For Wishes® presented by Ontario Auto Center, visit www.wishocie.org. To register, visit www.iewalkforwishes2012.kintera.org.
Make-A-Wish® grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, Make-A-Wish is one of the world’s leading children’s charities, with 62 chapters in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish every 40 minutes and has granted more than 200,000 wishes in the United States since its inception. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire, visit wishocie.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish®.
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