Naro didn’t have music forced upon him. He wasn’t required to attend piano or violin lessons from an early age. In fact, he didn’t pick up an instrument until middle school, when he began learning to play the flute. But when he did, he discovered a love.
Fast forward a few years. Naro is now 16. He’s a sophomore in high school. And he has just been diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma. He sits up in bed, listening to the harsh and tinny sounds of the hospital. Somewhere down the hall, a cart with a loose wheel rolls across the tile. Metal tools and instruments clang together on a tray. In his head, Naro makes a little music.
The flute was Naro’s first instrument. Since then, he has added the clarinet, oboe and saxophone to his arsenal of instruments; he even taught himself to play the piano. But he never imagined that music would become such a vital part of his life … or of his recovery. So when it came time to make his wish, he wanted it to be a tribute to his great love for music.
On the day of Naro’s wish, a limousine pulls up to the local music shop. Inside rest countless instruments ready to be played – horns, strings, woodwinds and more. One instrument in particular waits for Naro: a professional-level custom Yamaha oboe. He admires the polished body and delicate, silver keys. He closes his eyes and tentatively blows into the oboe for the first time. One clear, long note fills the room, and fills Naro with hope.
His new oboe will stay with him beyond the hospital visits and beyond his illness. Naro plans to study music in college and make a life out of his passion. Perhaps his music will one day help other children block out the dissonant sounds of a hospital and abandon thoughts of their illnesses. Or even inspire them to pick up an instrument of their own.
Naro’s wish came true simply because someone referred him for a wish. There may be a child like Naro in your community who is eligible for a wish. To learn more about wish referrals, visit wish.org.