As kids, all of us have had our idols - those who seem larger than life but still share a special bond with us through our dreams and our vision.
When it came time for the 13-year-old boy Shehab to ponder on his wish, he did not hesitate in asking to meet his hero, H.H General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister.
Sheikh Mohammed was someone young Shehab interacted with almost everyday, be it via the colorful pictures splashed in the newspapers or the charismatic interviews that were aired on the TV channels. But a personal audience with the
Prince himself was something Shehab could not have fathomed in his wildest dreams. So it came as the surprise of millennium for the young boy when Sheikh Mohammed not only agreed to meet him, but also had Shehab's mother and seven brothers and sisters specially flown down from Yemen for the occasion.
The excitement and anticipation grew even more when the Prince not only spent time with young Shehab, but also took him on a personal tour of his horses at the Royal Stables.
Naturally, Shehab was overcome with generosity that was shown towards his family and himself. And in return Shehab has promised to be an outstanding citizen of the country and help everyone be the same.
Cycel - an 18-year-old student in Abu Dhabi - loves to study. While most of the kids groan and moan just at the mention of that word, Cycel loves using his mind to unlock the door to life's many questions and theories.
So when it came the time for the Wish Granters to ask this intelligent young man what his one wish in the world was, the prompt reply was naturally a laptop computer.
Not only could Cycel continue his Computer Science studies from the comfort of his own home, but via the Internet, who knows what this little genius and his able mind can conjure up.
Luckily for Cycel, the computer giant Hewlett Packard recognized the potential mastermind that was waiting to be untapped at the click of a mouse. And they immediately rose to the occasion by providing a state-of-the-art HP Pavilion notebook.
Naturally, Cycel's joy knew no bounds. And what did he do with his newfound possession . . . he promptly sent off an email to the Make-A-Wish-Foundation, sharing his happiness with those who made his dream come true.
Nowadays, Cycel and his trusty laptop have become a force to reckon with and we do see signs of a future Bill Gates emerging from our very own backyard.
Growing up in a home with five brothers and sisters for company, there promises to be never a dull moment. No matter what the smaller issues are, siblings form a strong bond - one that faces every joy and adversity together, hand in hand.
When the wish granters approached such a family in Dubai, with each child given a special wish that could be granted, the five unanimously decided for a large vehicle that could ensure the family traveled together for their treatments.
Of course, heading to the mall to purchase a van was out of the question, so while the Make-A-Wish-Foundation pondered over avenues to pursue, Al Shohub School, Abu Dhabi immediately stepped in and graciously offered to raise
the money for the purchase.
Students at the school, along with owner and founder of the school H.H Sheikha Sheikha bint Saif Al Nahyan, rose to the occasion, organizing various fundraisers and charity events to fulfill the dreams of these five children.
Pure joy and squeals of laughter were the only things that were visible when the 'dream machine' was unveiled to the kids; but the surprise did not end there because in store for them were a sack full of goodies just waiting to be opened - including a 25 inch TV and a state of the art DVD player.
On a practical side of things, Make-A-Wish also arranged a generous donation of fuel and car insurance, to keep the kids cruising along the highway for a long time to come.