Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
KEARNS — Brayden Hansen may not remember what it was like to get a heart transplant, but he recently made memories that will last him a lifetime.
At just 3 months old, Brayden was "inconsolable" for two days straight, according to his mom, Nannette Hansen. Searching for answers, she took him to the doctor. What the doctors found, however, would forever change her son's life.
"I took Brayden to Primary Children's and told them that I was not leaving until they told me what was wrong with my child," Hansen said. "That's when we found out that his heart was 14 times the size that it should have been."
Then-tiny Brayden was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition where the left ventricle — the heart's main pumping chamber — is enlarged. Due to this, he would need a heart transplant at 5 months old. And while the transplant was successful, the reality for young Brayden has been regular medication needed to prevent rejection of the transplanted heart, as well as ongoing and invasive medical tests and surgeries.
It was during one of his doctor visits when his mom was made aware of an opportunity she thought had long since passed: The chance for now-12-year-old Brayden to Make-A-Wish.
"A few years ago, Make-A-Wish changed their qualifications," Hansen said. "Before, you had to have your transplant within one year, but that excluded kids like Brayden, who got their transplant at 5 months old because you had to be a minimum of 2½ years old. During one checkup, his doctors asked if he had had a Make-A-Wish, and he hadn't."
The doctors put Brayden on the list, and on Nov. 1, his wish to combine two of his favorite pastimes — Star Wars and Lagoon — came true.
With the help of the 501st Legion, the Utah branch of a Star Wars cosplay group, in conjunction with America First Credit Union and Lagoon Amusement Park in Farmington, Brayden's wish was in full swing. The day started with a grand entrance under a tunnel of light sabers while being escorted by stormtroopers and continued with a behind-the-scenes experience on rides, including the newest Primordial.
Hansen, who said she is more partial to Star Trek, said the day was truly a dream come true for her son, adding that it healed her own heart to be able to watch Brayden experience it.
"He was running around the park having a great time, and everyone said that you wouldn't be able to tell anything was wrong with him," she said. "He's done extremely well given everything that's in place."
Amber Greenwell, director of the America First Foundation, which helps fund and deliver gifts, said she and her team hope to make more wishes like these come true.
"The credit union and its foundation are constantly looking for opportunities to build community, goodwill and an attitude of giving back — it's central to who we are as an organization," she said. "We hope the experience we created for Brayden and his family will have a lasting impact they will remember for many years to come, knowing his wish came true."
Brayden and his family were also treated to a trip to Florida to meet real Star Wars characters at Walt Disney World Resort.
