Kelli Ritschel Boehle says her son Nik was an amazing and caring person.
"But I'm sure every mom says the same thing about their children," she said.
Nik was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer in 2008 when he was 17. He passed away in the spring of 2012. But Nik's kindness and generosity have lived on long after his death.
After he was diagnosed and started treatment, Nik was granted a wish experience from the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
"To him, it was like the Willy Wonka golden ticket," Ritschel Boehle said. "He was always looking for the positive in this situation. He kept coming up with crazy wishes."
Nik befriended his wish grantors and asked for things like a pet monkey or to appear on the game show "Deal or No Deal" before he landed on a vacation to Hawaii with his family so they could spend time away together.
"For just this period of time, we didn't think about cancer," Ritschel Boehle said. "All we thought about is, 'Here we are, together, happy, just enjoying our time together.' And it was beautiful."
A year later, Nik met another young man going through cancer treatment. He'd been diagnosed a month after turning 18, and Nik learned he was too old to qualify for a wish. That broke Nik's heart, Ritschel Boehle said; he wanted his friend to receive the same joy he had.
The night before Nik passed away, he asked Ritschel Boehle to help make sure that young adults fighting cancer could have their wishes come true too.
"It was like a seed he planted that just wouldn't stop nagging at my mind until the point where it was waking me up in the middle of the night," she said.
Granting 'Nik's Wish'
In 2012, with the help of family and friends, Ritschel Boehle started Nik's Wish. The nonprofit grants wishes to young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 who are battling cancer. Nate, the 18-year-old Nik had met in treatment, was the organization's first wish recipient. He chose to visit his grandmother in California and have a family reunion.
Today, the organization grants wishes that run the gamut. They have gifted gaming computers, concert tickets, meet and greet events with celebrities, and vacations.
"The one thing in common is it has to bring them joy and know that they're loved and that we're fighting for them, too," Ritschel Boehle said.
In April, Abigail Savage, a 23-year-old who was battling terminal cancer, was surprised at her home by Ritschel Boehle and more than a dozen volunteers to let her know her wish was coming true. The group arrived with its 16-foot genie lamp sculpture in tow, built by Ritschel Boehle and her husband for wish deliveries. They carried signs and cheered, making sure Savage knew she had a team of people supporting her.
"This was the biggest surprise of my whole life and the best biggest surprise," Savage told CNN. "The other biggest surprise was cancer. So, this beats that, like, by a lot."
When Savage became too sick to travel by plane to Hawaii, her original wish, her experience was adjusted to something that ultimately became even more meaningful for her and her family. She was able to travel in an RV across the country to her hometown in Montana and visit family before she passed away last month. Savage had battled the disease for five years.
"I have obviously never known when my health is going to take a pivot," Savage said. "So, it's important to make these kind of memories with my family."
Hundreds of wishes and counting
Once the recipient and their family learn that their wish is granted, a dedicated volunteer wish maker works closely with them, making all the arrangements. The goal is that all details are taken care of by the organization so they can just enjoy their wish experience and precious time together.
In the beginning, Ritschel Boehle says she wasn't sure she could be a wish maker and work closely with the young adults -- it was too painful for her to relive those memories of Nik. But now, it's her favorite thing to do.
"At first I wasn't strong enough to do it," she said. "But I recently helped my 100th person as a wish maker. I just love speaking with them and getting to know them."
Recently, 19-year-old Jordan Morrow received her wish to attend a Taylor Swift concert as part of a trip to Los Angeles.
"When I walked into the first day of radiation, they asked me who my favorite singer was, and I said, 'Taylor Swift.' And they said, 'Okay, we'll try to have some Taylor Swift music playing every day for you.'" Morrow said. "She got me through some hard times."
For Morrow, who has spent the last year battling brain cancer, going to the concert and touring LA has done more than lift her spirits.
"I think it's something to get me through whatever comes my way," she said. "And I'm thankful for Nik's Wish for that."
In the 11 years since Nik passed away, the organization has granted more than 300 wishes across more than 30 states. But for Ritschel Boehle, the reason behind every wish remains the same.
"I think he is looking down from heaven, telling me, 'I told you, Mom. We can do it. You can do it. They need it. Keep going,'" Ritschel Boehle said. "I think he's always encouraging me, always helping me out."
Want to get involved? Check out the Nik's Wish website and see how to help.
To donate to Nik's Wish via GoFundMe, click here
