Athletics help a Make-A-Wish dream come true

The wish was supposed to be granted last September, but then Dylan Sanchez took ill and spent a month in the hospital. But things are better now. Things are looking much brighter.

Sanchez is the Palo Verde High senior who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2024. The one who’s now going to Hawaii with his family.

The Athletics are underwriting the cost of Sanchez’s dream, which was made known to him last week by Make-A-Wish Nevada in a ceremony complete with a Hawaiian-themed party and Stomper, the A’s mascot.

“These kinds of moments are pretty special to be part of with Make-A-Wish,” A’s president Marc Badain said. “It’s something the organization has always supported throughout its years in the Bay Area and is now excited to make that connection coming here.

“We’ve been on the ground for the last couple years and you’ve seen our efforts. We’ll continue to do a lot of things as we get closer to opening the ballpark and then once we’re here, having players and coaches and the entire organization will make it a lot easier to be present.”

Long, emotional nights

It has been, as you can imagine, a difficult journey for the 18-year-old Sanchez, whose initial treatment consisted of spinal and regular chemotherapy twice a week.

But such has been dialed back now to oral medication and chemotherapy every two months.

His older brother, Andrew, remembers those long and emotional nights in the hospital when their parents were working. He would sit with Dylan, talking with him, guiding him through aspects of his treatment.

“Just being there to support him,” Andrew said. “This means a lot to families like ours, that there are people out there looking out for us and knowing what Dylan has gone through. It has been a rough time and this just makes things a little easier. We really appreciate this. We’re very grateful.”

Sports can be special in these ways and Las Vegas has teams like the Raiders, Golden Knights, Aces and others who have stepped forward to help with different causes in such community involvement.

Sports teams, as Badain said, can help raise awareness. They can bring attention. That it’s important they work together and collaboratively raise funds or otherwise be present.

The A’s are set to officially arrive in Las Vegas and open their ballpark along The Strip in 2028. But combining with an organization now like Make-A-Wish only enhances their presence locally.

Make-A-Wish Nevada has granted 118 wishes since September while working with 254 families across the state.

“We’d like to grant one every day,” said Scott Rosenzweig, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Nevada. “It’s the best thing in the world. We like to say that together we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses, but I can tell you meeting with these families changes our lives as well.

“So when we have partners like the A’s, it’s huge. It shows Dylan there is more than just family supporting him on his journey with leukemia. Having the A’s with us is incredible and it’s not going to go away any time soon. We’re going to hang onto them for as long as we can.”

Things to do

Sanchez wants to go fishing. Sit on the beach. Scuba dive. Snorkel. Swim with sharks. Tour the Jurassic Park experience. Wants to know all Hawaii has to offer.

He was taken aback when surprised with his wish, soft-spoken and yet incredibly thankful.

“I’ve just tried to stay positive, ask Jesus for help and eat healthy,” Dylan said. “It means a lot that the (A’s) would do this. I never thought anything like this would ever happen. I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii.

“Things are getting better. The (doctors) are saying I’m doing well. Just need to stay on my pills. It is better than it was.”

His mother, Brenda Carrillo, remembers when her son was first diagnosed. The fear of it. The internal pain it caused. The shock of it all. But she says that Dylan has been resilient in his fight. That he has shown great strength throughout all of it.

“I just want to see him happy,” she said. “I never knew anyone with cancer before this. He’s going to see things (in Hawaii) he never has before. He will get to enjoy activities he has never tried before.”

Thanks, in large part, to the A’s.