What a beautiful soul!
A 13-year-old Mississippi Make-A-Wish recipient used his gift to feed those in need, Fox23 News reports.
Adeola “Abraham” Olagbegi was diagnosed with aplastic anemia back in June of 2020. This is a rare condition where the body doesn’t produce enough new blood cells and subsequently causes bone marrow damage. Thankfully, in November 2020, the 13-year-old received a transplant and is on the mend. When he discovered he qualified for the Make-A-Wish program, an organization that grants wishes for children with critical illnesses, the teen decided that he would do something different. He chose to give back to others instead of himself.
“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 [unhoused]. I said, ‘Are you sure, Abraham? You could do a lot...You sure you don’t want a PlayStation’,” Abraham’s mother Miriam Olagbegi recalled.
This past September, Abraham finally got his wish, partnering with the foundation to pass out free food and supplies to nearly 80 unhoused people in his Jackson, Mississippi community.
“When the [unhoused] people got the plate, some of them would come back and sing to us and thank us. And it just really feels good; it warms our hearts. And my parents always taught us that it’s a blessing to be a blessing,” Abraham said.
Instead of wishing for a trip, gifts, or money, Adeola Abraham Olagbegi wish was granted to feed the [unhoused] at Poindexter Park for one year. https://t.co/Y1rrnc8WaA
— WLBT 3 On Your Side (@WLBT) September 19, 2021
Abraham’s wish was to feed those in need in the Poindexter Park neighborhood of Jackson for one year, which Make-A-Wish Mississippi has agreed to. Officials at the foundation said they had never seen such generosity from one of their recipients.
“When he so easily gives to others at a time where everybody should really be supporting him, you just have to say, that’s a remarkable young man,” Linda Sermons, an assistant at Make-A-Wish Mississippi, said.
While some may think what he’s doing is grand, Abraham believes it’s just what he’s called to do. He told reporters it was vital for him to do something that would have a lasting impact.
“I am a person of hope, so when you come against a big mountain, you have to remember you have a big God...My mom always says it’s a blessing to be a blessing, so I just wanted to do something for other people to make it last long,” he said.
When his wish period is up in August 2022, the teen plans to continue helping those in need, turning his good deeds into a monthly aid nonprofit called “Abraham’s Table.”
“We’re just very excited to be able to continue on this endeavor. It’s just so rewarding. If I was out there on the streets, [unhoused], I would want somebody at some point to think of me and to do something special for me. So, that’s what I try to instill in my kids, and we just try to pay it forward by doing what we were raised to do,” Mirian Olagbegi said.
Thank you for your generosity, Abraham. We are sending you good vibes and healing energy!
Photo Courtesy of Make-A-Wish Mississippi