Frank Shankwitz, the Arizona Highway Patrol officer who helped a terminally ill boy realize his dream of becoming a motorcycle cop and then co-created the Make-a-Wish Foundation, has died. Shankwitz passed at his home in Prescott, Arizona ... succumbing to esophageal cancer. Frank passed on January 24. His wife of 38 years, Kitty, was at his bedside. Frank heard about a boy named Chris Greicius back in 1980 ... the child had end-stage leukemia and wanted to be a motorcycle cop when he grew up, just like Ponch and Jon from the TV show, "CHiPs." Frank wanted to make Chris' dream come true but thought the boy might not be physically up for the adventure, saying, “Figuring he’d be brought out in a wheelchair, I was surprised when the door opened and a pair of sneakers emerged.” Shankwitz explained, “Out stepped Chris, an excited 7-year-old boy who seemed so full of life it was hard to believe he was sick.” So, Frank gave him a badge and a uniform and even had him take a driving test in his front yard to become a real motor cop. Chris was beyond thrilled. "CHiPs" stars Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox later autographed a photo for Chris, but by the time Shankwitz went to give it to him ... Chris had fallen into a light coma. Chris had hung his uniform by the bed, and when Frank pinned the badge on his shirt, he woke up and asked, “Am I an official motorcycle cop now?” “You sure are,” Frank replied. Chris died later that day. A few months later Frank created the Make-a-Wish Foundation. More than 315,000 children in the United States have had their dreams come true as a result of Frank's efforts. Today the org has 64 chapters in the U.S. and 36 chapters internationally. Frank was 77. RIP https://www.tmz.com/2021/02/07/make-a-wish-frank-shankwitz-dead-77-arizona-motorcycle-cop/
One make a wish story that made me forever love Rickey Henderson, as a person, not a great ballplayer. A boy with cancer wanted as his wish to go to an A's game and meet Rickey Henderson. Not unusual. But the boy had a virulent facial cancer. The A's arranged for him and his mother to have a private box because his appearance was so alarming/revolting. A sportswriter described it, half his face was eaten away by cancer, the rest an oozing mess of radiation burns. Rickey had been warned, as had sports media, but the writer said no warning could prepare for the reality of this poor child's appearance. So Rickey gave him signed ball and bat, shook hands, the usual. Then he dropped to one knee and kissed the boy's cheek. A face no one else could even stand to look at. Thanks for posting, I had not realized how this began.
My mom is a wish granter of 15 years. The stories of the larger poor families with a child stricken with cancer were the most gut wrenching. Often the kids just wanted something for their family or siblings, took a lot to get them to dream bigger. She is a great listener though even across language barriers. Life is so strange, my mom now has a chemo port in her chest just like those kids she gave her all too for many years.
Sorry to hear about your mom. Cancer is a fuck but it can be beaten. My mom had the same kind of cancer that eventually took Paul Allen. She came out of remission 4 times in 7 years. Lost her hair 5 times because of chemo. We thought we were going to lose her a few times during all that. That was 30 years ago and she is alive and kicking today! She beat it and so can your mom. Fuck cancer!
I was fortunate enough to never being stricken with a life threatening disease but I was a poor little boy and dreamed of going to Disney Land. Never got to go until I was 29 and paid for it myself. I guess that's why I have empathy for those little children.
