Dreams Come True

Liz always had a love and strong connection with horses, so it was fitting that her dream was to be out in nature and ride a horse one more time. Liz, along with her good friend Carol, spent the day together riding horses and ended their day together with a nice dinner. Very special thank you to the staff of Blue Rein Ranch Counselling & Animal Assisted Therapy for the care and attention given to Liz in making her dream come true!

David’s dream was a short getaway to Toronto with his wife Rachel and their daughter Addisyn. Their fun-filled weekend included a visit to the CN Tower, the Ontario Science Centre, and Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada. As an added bonus, we also sent David and his family to see a Toronto Blue Jays’ game!

Rachel reached out to us and let us know that David’s trip was a wonderful time, and that the family loved every part of the dream, especially the aquarium and the CN Tower. She shared: “Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts for making this all possible for us! We have made some amazing memories that we will never forget and could not have done it without your help!”

Special thanks to the CN Tower company, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, and the Ontario Science Centre for donating passes; Jays Care Foundation for the baseball tickets and signed jersey; and, the Toronto Marriott City Centre Hotel for a discounted hotel room!

It’s been Kat’s dream to ‘defy gravity’ since she saw the musical Wicked on The Tony Awards in 2004. Those around her, especially those that know her well, know how much Wicked has impacted her life over the years – from the songs to watching performance videos online, it was her escape and allowed her to be immersed into another world. You can imagine Kat’s excitement when it was finally coming back to Toronto on tour.

Oneday Dreams helped make Kat’s wildest dream come true. Kat and her best friend Megan visited the Princess of Wales Theatre to watch the musical, and as an added surprise, she went backstage after the show to see the Emerald City behind the scenes. She even had a nice visit with Glinda herself, Austen Bohmer. Kat’s dream experience also included a hotel stay downtown Toronto, merchandise from the show, and dinner for her and Megan.

After her dream, Kat sent us the following message: “Thank you for taking the time to listen to the people who apply, treating them with kindness and respect, and giving them hope.”

Special thank you to Kat for writing her own caption for this dream post 🙂

Shannon always had a love of nature, especially being near the water. Her dream was for a weekend getaway in the Muskoka region with her closest friends, son, and mom. Oneday Dreams arranged for Shannon and her guests to spend a weekend at a beautiful sandy lakefront cottage. They lounged around the fire pit and hot tub, took in incredible views of the scenic landscape, and shared many laughs and memories.

After her dream experience, Shannon said: “I had such a wonderful time at the beachfront cottage! Spending time with my family and friends meant so much to me, especially in such a beautiful and natural environment in Muskoka. Bonds became closer and the love and support touched my heart so deeply. We made great memories that I can take with me and hold forever. I can’t thank you angels and your organization enough for making this happen for me. God bless!”

Mike and his son Ryan had a special Saturday night tradition together – cheering on the Toronto Maple Leafs while they watched Hockey Night in Canada. Mike always dreamt of taking Ryan to see a live game, but tragically, Ryan died in 2012. This made Mike’s request especially meaningful; he wanted to attend a game in honour and memory of Ryan. Together with his loved ones Megan and Lisa, and with the help of Oneday Dreams, Mike attended Game 4 of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins playoff series. 

Following their trip, Lisa shared this message with us: “We can’t thank you enough for the opportunity you gave us to go to a Leafs game. It was so memorable and will be cherished well after Mike is gone. Meg and I saw the sparkle in his eyes just to be able to do this and we thank you for the bottom of our hearts.”

Maria’s dream was to celebrate her 91st birthday with a buffet dinner and birthday cake, surrounded by her greatest love and joy: her children and grandchildren. To add to the excitement, Maria’s granddaughter was getting married that same weekend so this dream included a big celebration of both milestones!

We decorated the hall in purple, complete with fresh flower centrepieces, a picturesque archway, and a cake that said “Happy Birthday Nonna” to recognize the role that Maria loved the most. The entire event was photographed by Oneday Dreams’ own Morgan Cantagallo. Thank you to the Giovanni Caboto Club for being generous hosts for the party!

Special thank you to WFCU Credit Union for making Maria’s 91st birthday one to be remembered. Their incredible donation helped make this entire dream come true!

John dreamt of cheering for his life-long favourite hockey team, the Toronto Maple’s Leafs, in their home at Scotiabank Arena for the very first time. Oneday Dreams provided John and his family four tickets to the game, a beautiful hotel room for the night, and some spending money for their trip to the big city! Not only did they get to attend a playoff game, but they also met Captain Crunch himself, Wendel Clarke! With the incredible support of Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment, John also received a signed jersey from Auston Matthews! Following his dream, John’s wife shared, “it was amazing and a great memory for our boys to keep forever no matter how much time they have left with their dad.” 

Special thank you to The Toldo Foundation, whose generous donation helped bring John’s dream to life!

Danny’s dream was to travel from Alberta back to his hometown, Catalina, Newfoundland, with his wife Lisa, daughters Kaitlin and Jenessa, and granddaughters Eden and Elise. During his trip, Danny was able to reconnect with family and childhood friends and visit the places where he grew up. While in town, Danny and his family enjoyed stunning views of the Catalina Harbour while they stayed at Gracie Joe’s Place. Many thanks to Kristy, owner of Gracie Joe’s Place, for their generous donation. 

Danny’s dream was fulfilled through partnership with Give a Mile; a registered charity in Canada and the United States that offers flights to connect people in palliative or critical care with loved ones. Give a Mile graciously covered the airfare for both Danny and Lisa.

Paul’s dream was to gather with his friends and family to cheer on his favourite hockey team, the Edmonton Oilers. Oneday Dreams arranged for a limousine ride around Saskatoon so the party could see the sunset and the river; with a final stop at a special private watch party at the Sheraton Cavalier Saskatoon Hotel. Prior to the game, the family enjoyed a delicious meal at the Scarlet Craft Kitchen. Then, not only did they get to cheer on the team, but his family were provided official jerseys and Paul received a signed jersey and personal video from Oilers goalie, Stuart Skinner. Many thanks to Living Skies Limousine for donating the ride, the Sheraton Cavalier Saskatoon Hotel for donated and discounted rooms, and the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation for donating the signed jersey and personal video.  Let’s Go Oilers!

Phillippe’s dream was to take an epic family trip to be remembered! Along with his mother, wife, and two children, Phillippe travelled from New Brunswick to Alberta to stay in Lake Louise and take in the incredible views of Banff National Park. Special thanks to the Lake Louise Inn for their generous donation of food vouchers, the Grey Eagle Resort & Casino for donating beautiful hotel rooms, and the Banff Visitor Centre for the Xplorer booklets and dog tags for Phillippe and his family!

Following his dream, Phillippe shared the following with us:  I’d like to sincerely thank OneDay Dreams, from the bottom of my heart, for granting this amazing opportunity for my kids, wife and mother to have one last meaningful trip with me. I’m very grateful for everything that your organization is doing for adults living with terminal illnesses. It’s very noble work and rest assured I’ll do everything I can to promote your organization to the fullest of its merits. Thank you, thank you, thank you!