Tripler Soldiers Volunteer to Fulfill a Make-A-Wish Wish

By Eren McBride, Tripler Public AffairsSeptember 19, 2013

Tripler Soldiers volunteer to fulfill Make-A-Wish wish
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Tripler Soldiers volunteer to fulfill Make-A-Wish wish
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Tripler Soldiers volunteer to fulfill Make-A-Wish wish
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Tripler Soldiers volunteer to fulfill Make-A-Wish wish
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

BELLOWS AFB -- On 22 August, 20 volunteers gathered at Bellows AFB beach to build a sand castle with Dayton, a 12 year boy from Texas. He and his twin brother Dylan have been diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy. The disease has left them both in wheelchairs. The Make-A-Wish Foundation honored Dayton's wish of coming to Hawai'i and building a sand castle.

Spc. Jonathan Nguyen chose to sponsor the family during their stay in Hawai'i and began rallying for volunteers from Tripler Army Medical Center, U.S. Army Health Clinic-Schofield Barracks, and Hickam Air Force Base. When asked why he chose to volunteer, Lt. Timothy Dreyer responded with "who wouldn't want to come build sand castles?"

Dayton decided he didn't want to build a boring sand castle. Instead he wanted to build a PlayStation 3 controller. The volunteers quickly came up with a plan and started building.

It took a little over 3 hours for the volunteers to complete the controller.