Gary
is like most other ten year old boys. He loves video games, fishing, math and
watching one of his favorite TV shows, “The Deadliest Catch.” Gary also
had a wish; to meet the crew of the Northwestern, Captain Sig’s fishing boat
on, “The Deadliest Catch.” Something that isn’t so common about Gary is that he
suffers from a disease called Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare cancer of the bone or
soft tissue.American Equity Mortgage and our AEM Cares corporate giving program partnered with the Make-A-Wish foundation to help make Gary’s wish of meeting Captain Sig and the crew a reality!
Gary’s wish celebration kicked off when he and his family attended a grand wish party held in his honor on a Seattle tour boat. Gary, along with his family, friends and AEM employees, enjoyed the evening boating around Elliot Bay. Gary was able to sit in the wheel house with the Captain and drive the boat too!
On the wish day, Gary and his family received star treatment as they were driven from their home to the docks in a limousine. The crew of the Northwestern, led by the famous Captain Sig, welcomed Gary at Fisherman’s Terminal in Seattle. Gary met the crew and was named Captain of the Northwestern for the day!
The crew, and their new captain, Gary, first went by the Ballard Locks, where a group from AEM welcomed them with tremendous fanfare. Gary then went out on Puget Sound and found some trouble when he heard sirens blaring from the
Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife. As the officials approached,
Captain Gary explained that his crew was going out to drop some crab pots in
the Sound. This satisfied the authorities, Gary received an honorary badge and
was even allowed to drive the police boat for a few minutes!Back on the Northwestern, Gary was put to work as he helped operate the electric cranes that drop crab pots into the Sound. He must have been good because Captain Gary had the only King Crab catch of the day!
Nancy Spiro, a Seattle Loan Officer with AEM commented, “It was an absolute honor to be part of a wish sponsored by American Equity Mortgage for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The joy and excitement that we helped foster by being part of this is something that I will remember forever.”
American Equity Mortgage is proud to have helped the Make-A-Wish foundation make Gary’s wish come true.
