I wished to go to the Pokémon Center in NY
Amelia, wish alum
wish granted, 2002
Then and Now: A real-life Pokémon Trainer
Imagine it's 2002. Pepsi Blue is at the height of its popularity; songs are downloaded on 56K modems instead of streamed; your favorite boy band just broke up (even though they seemed so in sync).
For wish alumna Amelia, Make-A-Wish volunteers posed one of the most important questions of her life to her that year: if you could wish for anything, what would it be?
Without hesitation she knew. Amelia, an avid Pokémon fan at 7 years old, knew the strengths and weaknesses of every character by heart. After learning about the 2001 grand opening of the Pokémon Center at Rockefeller Center in New York, the largest store space dedicated to Pokémon in the United States, she knew exactly where she wanted to go.
“It can’t be stated enough how important a wish can be,” she said reflecting back on her wish experience. “I vividly remember every detail of my wish, and it goes down as the happiest I remember feeling during my childhood. It’s something I will hold onto forever.”
Amelia was given an exclusive VIP tour of the 13,000 square foot facility and had the opportunity to play the Pokémon TCG (Trading Card Game) and even won against other TCG players in-store. She can still feel the excitement well up inside when she recalls seeing her favorite characters in 3-D, larger than life plush form. Her favorite? “Tyranitar” who absolutely had to go home with her on the plane.
Official Trainer card from the Pokémon center, signed by Amelia's tour guide
What made this wish extra special was the kindness shone to her by all the Pokémon employees, but especially her private tour guide who was with her every step of the way throughout her entire stay. She felt such a meaningful connection to them that she actually had them autograph a collector card that she still has to this day.
Amelia was a Pokémon fan prior to her wish, but that experience strengthened her bond with the Pokémon brand in a way that she could never have imagined.
Today, 20 years later, her life has come full circle. She is employed by The Pokémon Company International, Inc. as a Trading Card Game Designer and recently had the opportunity to experience the joy of Make-A-Wish once again, but this time she was on the giving end as she helped grant wishes for two kids at their Bellevue HQ.
“When I found out that I would be a part of these wishes, I was emotional knowing that I get to help provide the same experience I received 20 years ago...”
At first, these two wish kids had no idea that Amelia was also a wish recipient and they certainly didn’t know they were going to have an opportunity to learn so much from her. You see, Amelia is a bit of a subject matter expert when it comes to Pokémon characters and how the card game is played. In fact, she is often consulted prior to releasing the trading card game sets we see in stores all over the country.
Amelia and her The Pokemon International Company, Inc. colleagues:
(Left to Right) Mia, Kenny (her childhood best friend), Amelia, and Kyle
“I still cherish my wish and I was honored to give a moment that was one of my most cherished to someone else.”
Her team shared the process for how cards were produced, and the wish kids received rare Umbreon VMAX cards.
Amelia loved seeing the impact of a wish from another perspective, not as a wish recipient, but as a wish grantor.
“I think during my own wish, I saw the experience as more of a fun thing that I got to do, but as a young child I didn’t realize how impactful it was for all the people who cared about me to experience that with me. To see the wishes that day from the parents’ perspective this time around made my own wish experience that much more meaningful."
She hopes to be a part of future wish experiences at The Pokémon Company International, Inc.
If you are a wish alumni (a former wish recipient yourself or family member of a wish recipient) we would love for you to join our wish alumni community! Please email [email protected] for more information.