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    Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Makes-A-Wish Come True

    NAS Whidbey Island supports Make-A-Wish Foundation

    Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Seth Coulter | 150627-N-JY507-116 WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. (June 27, 2015) – Jonathan Lo and his...... read more read more

    WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. -- Electronic Attack Squadron (VR) 138, the “Yellowjackets,” along with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, helped to make a young boy’s dream come true by giving him a hands-on experience inside of an EA-18G Growler along with his own flight suit and helmet at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island during an open house and Prowler Sunset, commemorating the retirement of the EA-6B Prowler June 27.

    Jonathan Lo was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia after a normal visit to a pediatrician when his family noticed bruising on his body, but the diagnosis hasn’t slowed down his love of life or jet aircraft.

    “We were devastated after finding out our son had this disease but we reached out to the Make-A-Wish Foundation to see if we could do as much for him as possible with the time we had left,” said Jonathan’s mother Jean Lo, from Bothell, Washington. “The Foundation has helped my family every step of the way and I consider them a part of our family now.”

    Jonathan never seemed to run out of energy while running from one place to another as he got a VIP tour of the aircraft, giving high-fives to everyone involved.

    “[Jonathan] was enthusiastic about everything and seemed to love every second of being in the cockpit of the Growler,” said Lt. Cmdr. Bryan Haney, “Yellowjackets” operations officer from Lynnwood, Washington.

    Johnathan and his father Don received front row seats to watch the EA-6B Prowler take its final flight before its retirement.

    “This is a great thing the base did for him. When we showed up the last thing I expected was a flight suit that was made specifically for Jonathan,” said Rhonda Chong, a Make-A-Wish volunteer, from Shoreline, Washington. “Seeing his face constantly light up throughout the day is a good reminder of why I volunteer with the foundation. What we do really matters to the children.”

    The Make-a-Wish Foundation is a nonprofit organization who has granted wishes to more than 154,000 children with life-threatening medical conditions. Founded in 1980, Make-a-Wish uses outside donations and volunteers to grant a wish to sick children every 41 minutes.

    For more news from Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Det. Northwest, visitwww.navy.mil/local/nwpacen/.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 06.27.2015
    Date Posted: 06.29.2015 13:53
    Story ID: 168514
    Location: WHIDBEY ISLAND, WA, US
    Hometown: BOTHELL, WA, US
    Hometown: LYNNWOOD, WA, US
    Hometown: SHORELINE, WA, US

    Web Views: 878
    Downloads: 1

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