ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Matthew Heliman thought he was going to the hardware store to pick up some items for his car, but he ended up getting much more than he wished for.
Heilman was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a blood cancer. He is too old to be considered for the national Make-A-Wish program, which grants “wishes” to cancer patients.
Keli Ritschel’s Nik’s Wish is a local variation of the program, which offers similar experiences for those over 18. It was named after her son, who died in 2012.
Heilman had submitted a request, wishing for parts to fix a 1994 Chevrolet Corvette he has been restoring.
“[I figured I’d] ask for something small, maybe some tires, something easy,” he said.
Thanks to a $6,000 donation from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, Nik’s Wish was able to get him even more.
“They just kept on going. They were asking, ‘hey, do you want something like this? An exhaust? Some new rims? And all this stuff, all this stuff! Tools! And I’m, like, ‘of course! I feel like you’re doing too much,’ and they just kept loving on me and it’s just such a huge blessing, for what they did.”
Nik’s Wish has delivered over 235 wishes in over 36 states, and is supported completely by volunteers and donations.