Kelyn’s Wish

by Kara Trettin; Kelyn Meyer’s favorite color was green; then it was blue; for the last six months, the six-year-old’s favorite color is red—a brand spankin’ new, flashy red golf cart is fitting for Kelyn’s wish come-true.
Kelyn was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia the summer of 2020.
Kari Meyer, Kelyn’s mother, said that the Mayo Clinic social worker makes sure you have every resource at your fingertips during such healthcare crisis.
“They make sure you get signed up for any assistance,” Meyer said, “like the make a wish and we’ve been in a couple other things that just kind of help out when we were up in Rochester, help out with hotel bill, food; they helped us with like Ronald McDonald House so they make sure that you are aware of everything that’s out there and fill out all the forms.”
According to Meyer, they have been working with the Make-A-Wish Foundation for approximately nine months. She said Kelyn initially wanted a golf cart; however, Meyer read that motorized vehicles were not an approved wish.
So, Meyer scratched it off their list and moved on to the next wish on Kelyn’s mind: a beach and zoo vacation.
However, the Make-A-Wish angels were on Kelyn’s side, with vacation wishes being pushed out due to the pandemic, the foundation updated their wish guidelines including small motor vehicles, such as golf carts.
Kelyn’s wish quickly became a reality.
“That actually happened pretty quickly; that was just a few months ago,” Meyer said, adding that she realizes it is challenging to get a brand-new golf cart in the current economic landscape.
According to Meyer, the Make-A-Wish Foundation reaches out to local businesses to help make wishes come true. Leisure Time Golf Cars made the wish happen.
Meyer said the New Hampton, Iowa-based company indicated when they received the red golf cart into their stock, they put it in a corner to save for Kelyn. According to Meyer, there were several people wanting to purchase the cart, but Leisure Time Golf Cars was steadfast in saving the sparkling red car for Kelyn.
Then, early last week, Meyer received the much-awaited message from Make-A-Wish Foundation.
“She had messaged me, I think it was on Monday—’the golf carts ready, when would work for you guys?’ and I was like the sooner the better,” Meyer said.
Although Meyer said Kelyn knew the golf cart was scheduled for delivery last week, it didn’t seem to impact his excitement.
Meyer said Kelyn appeared most surprised at how new the golf cart was. She said, “it’s like brand new—he was pretty shocked, excited. He’s like very quiet; doesn’t show too much but you couldn’t have taken that smile off his face. His face was pure surprise.”
Meyer said she received text messages from her children all day at work after Kelyn’s wish came true.
“As soon as I got home from work, they were all out here by the golf cart waiting,” Meyer said.