In the depths of his sorrow, 83-year-old Buddy Murray's lifelong dream came true. At a live NHL game, he watched his beloved Montreal Canadiens face off against Sidney Crosby, his hockey idol, alongside his grandson. The experience ignited a joy in Buddy, a lifelong fan, that hadn't been felt in ages.

Linda's dreams often took a backseat to her selflessness. A wish to witness a Broadway play in New York City remained quietly tucked away, a desire she rarely shared, not wanting pity for unfulfilled dreams. Now, because of our incredible community, Linda's unspoken yearning came to life and she was able to receive the full Broadway experience that led her to the main stage of Wicked where she graced the stage alongside their cast. Linda's eyes filled with tears, not of sorrow, but of overwhelming gratitude, as the spotlight finally turned to illuminate a woman whose selfless endeavours have made her a beacon of inspiration in her community and beyond.

Melanie Elliott, 76, has had a lifelong dream to soar through the silent skies over the Annapolis Valley, where her family's roots run deep. With the help of Vision Air Services Inc., we were able to bring Melanie's dream to fly over her family's homestead to life, and what a special moment it was. Melanie left this experience closer to family and friends, and with a bright view of her future. She stated that "it truly lifted me up and provided me great insight to this new world around me and with an increased sense of confidence that I can move ahead with a more active and enriched future.”

Meet wish recipient Michael, 80 years young who was born and raised in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Michael's father, grandfather, and great grandfather were all very involved with Sable Island during their careers with the Coast Guard. They worked for the department of transport where most of his family were sea captains. Primarily they would deliver supplies to those living on the island, unloading the boats on the sand, those on the island would take possession, and then they would head back to the mainland. It has remained his steadfast dream of his to visit the island and witness its operations, see the lighthouses, the horses, and of course, take in the beauty of a place that carries so much family history!

Bernard, 83, was born and raised in Nova Scotia. Having worked in nature his entire life, he has discovered rare plants never known to Nova Scotia and has banded over 800 Barred Owls. He did this in his spare time while raising 3 children alongside his late wife, and working full-time as a contractor with no vacation. Bernard devotes his time tirelessly to others, Specifically, he helped many Acadia students with their studies throughout the years. Throughout it all, he’s never asked for anything in return and always carries a smile on his face. Bernard’s lifelong dream has always been to visit Sable Island. A true lifelong wish, Bernard happily danced through the beaches of Sable Island, climbing every sand dune he could find to get a better view of the birds through his binoculars.

Kate MacMillan is 78 years young and loves where she lives with all her heart. Growing up as one of five siblings with four brothers, she later raised five children and joyfully welcomed four grandchildren. Her life has been defined by caring for her family and those around her, and despite facing heartbreaking challenges —losing both her husband and son—Kate's enduring spirit reflects her resilience and strength. Nominated by her daughter Andrea, Kate has held a longtime dream of flying over western Cape Breton to witness the Celtic colours of her homeland from a perspective she had only imagined. Having always admired the helicopters she’d seen flying overhead her entire life, she hoped to one day see the landscape’s beauty from the sky for herself. This was something she never believed would have ever come true… until it finally did!

Marlene is 76 years young and resides in New Minas, Nova Scotia. She's an avid fan of Chad Hiltz from the TV show 'Bad Chad' on the Discovery Channel. Chad actually lives in Marlene's community, and every passing encounter leaves her wondering about his current projects and what he could possibly be working on right now. With limited time on her side due to heart failure, Marlene's dream of meeting Chad, and having the opportunity to see his garage and what he might be working on, has finally come true thanks to the crew at Bad Chad Customs!

Veronica, 93 years young, has faced numerous challenges throughout her life. In 1965, she tragically lost her husband to a massive heart attack when they were in the midst of building their home. Left without running water, electricity, and an indoor bathroom, Veronica displayed immense resilience and determination while single-handedly raising two young children on a modest income. Throughout her journey as a single mother, she exuded grace, positivity, and an unwavering willingness to help others. Since the beginning of his career, Veronica cheered Sidney on from the comfort of her home, praying his team would win as she excitedly watched the game from start to finish. Her dream having always been to meet Sidney one day and watch him play live, something she feels she has limited time to achieve given her age.

Meet Connie, our very first wish recipient who resides outside of Nova Scotia in Saint John, New Brunswick. At 74 years young, one thing is for certain: she has never stopped serving the people she loves. Raised in a small town, Connie grew up climbing trees, playing softball and catching baseball games on TV. As a mother of three, she put herself through nursing school while raising three children on her own, and single-handedly supported her family as a nurse for more than 30 years. Today, she continues to serve her community as a personal support worker. Her daughter Donna believes a chance to see the Blue Jays in action could be the best thing that could ever happen for her. “I think it would put a spring back in her step.” And that it did!

Isabel, 84 years, from Nova Scotia is a beacon of resilience in her community. She’s recognized for her unwavering positivity and is a living testament to the strength of the human spirit. She proves that age is no match for her and she inspires all who know her. Since they started, Isabel has been a faithful Toronto Blue Jays fan. No matter how late it is, she never misses a game on TV (and has even been caught at 2 AM cheering them on). “Joe Carter was my boyfriend,” she tells us through a chuckle and explains that George Springer is her favorite player. Due to many varying circumstances, Isabel has never been able to watch a live ball game until now. We are incredibly happy to share that we were able to make Isabel’s wish come true!

Edith Taylor, is 82 years young and has faced numerous hardships in her life, from raising five children to caring for others in need and serving as a primary caretaker for her husband and grandchildren. Despite her challenges, Edith has never complained, and continually wanting to do more for others. She's a spirited soul with a need for speed, yearning for adventure, like skydiving. Now, she's embracing the chance to do something for herself, and we were privileged to help make her dream of Skydiving come true!

Kaye, 94 years young, has always wished to go to Sable Island. Kaye was born and raised in Sydney River, on Cape Breton Island, and was the oldest of five sisters. She had a thirst for knowledge and possesses an insatiable curiosity and a profound appreciation for learning about Sable Island and its majestic horses. For her, the prospect of witnessing these creatures in their natural habitat is nothing short of a dream come true, and it would provide her with a profound sense of contentment and peace of mind seeing firsthand up close how these wild horses are equipped to weather the storms that pass.

Meet Norma, 81 years young. Being a woman who has always been so delighted by nature and being near the ocean, Norma’s life-long desire has been to visit Sable Island and see the wild horses that reside there. Norma and her late husband spent many years taking their fishing boat to the 100 Wild Islands near Clam Harbour on the Eastern Shore where they lived, always dreaming that if only they had a bigger boat they could get to Sable Island.

Gordon's dream for many years has been to ride in a helicopter and revisit the land he grew to love alongside his wife and children. To see the province he loves, from the sky, at 95 years young was an absolute dream come true for Gordon!

As a young girl, Rhoda would spend her time watching the trains pass by from the end of her driveway in pure fascination. She stated that she “always knew what time it was because the train would pass by [her] home at the same time every day.” Full of wonder and joy, Rhoda would dream about what it would be like to be a passenger on one of those trains. She wondered where they were travelling and what adventures they would experience. She dreamed that someday she would get the opportunity to travel by train and experience an adventure of her own. Never believing she would get the opportunity to do so.

Meet Arthur, from Trenton, Nova Scotia. Arthur is 70 years young and is a compassionate soul whose heart's desire is to reunite with his beloved family in Timmons, Ontario. Despite facing health challenges that impact his vision and heart, Arthur's strength and optimism always shine through. Family holds a special place in Arthur's life, especially his sons, and grandchildren, two of whom he’s never met.

Andy has been a Toronto Maple Leafs fan his entire life. He would watch every game on television, dreaming of how incredible it would be to sit in the stands of the Scotiabank Arena cheering on his favorite team. He thought about how incredible it would be to witness the Leafs fan culture and atmosphere come to life with each goal or breakaway, never believing he would get the opportunity to see them play at this stage of his life.