McKinley Middle Schooler Sarah Stone is headed to the Grammy Awards a year earlier than originally planned, and she couldn’t be more excited.
“I’m so happy!” she squealed during a phone interview Wednesday. “I can’t believe we’re going so soon.”
Stone lives with sickle cell anemia, and she is a Wish Kid with the Make A Wish Foundation. Her dream is to attend the Grammy Awards, and the generosity of employees from Meetings & Incentives Worldwide in Caledonia raised enough to send Stone and her mother, Genise Perry, to the 2018 Grammy’s. Stone was put on the list for the 2018 show because a group was already chosen for the 2017 event.
But, Perry got a call Monday from the foundation telling her the trip was being moved up, and preparations were underway to sweep her and Stone to Los Angeles.
“It was such a surprise, and I couldn’t wait to tell Sarah,” Perry said.
Her plan was to pick Stone up Monday after school and tell her after her choir concert, but Perry said she couldn’t wait.
“I told her as soon as she got in the car, and she cried she was so happy,” Perry explained.
Ashley Vance, one of the M&I Worldwide employees who hosted a fundraiser for Stone’s wish, was happy to learn about the change of plans.
“That’s awesome! You are going to have an amazing time,” she posted on Perry’s Facebook page.
The trip is especially poignant for Stone and Perry because for the past couple of years, Stone has been hospitalized over Valentine’s Day because of complications from her sickle cell. Stone has been healthy for the past few weeks, and their fingers are crossed that she remains stable.
“We need to break that streak,” Perry added with a chuckle.
They expect to get their official itinerary later this week, but Perry said their plans as far as she knows is that they will fly out to California on Feb. 7 or 8, 2017 and come back on the 14th; the Grammy’s show is Feb. 12. In between, Make A Wish has a fun activity planned for every day.
Even better … the foundation is providing everything Stone will need for a star-studded evening, including a fancy dress.