'Duck Dynasty' Crew Helps 10-Year-Old's Make-A-Wish Dream Come True
The Robertson family of the hit A&E reality show "Duck Dynasty" recently helped grant a 10-year-old with a life-threatening disease her dream through the Make-A-Wish foundation by helping her family decorate her room in a "Duck Dynasty" theme, with green, orange and camo accents.
Zoe Kerley, a 10-year-old diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension living in Maynard, Ark., came home Thursday to find her room completely decorated in a "Duck Dynasty" theme, with posters, camo, and "Duck Commander" merchandise filling the room. Kerley's wish had been granted on behalf of the Duck Commander crew and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a nonprofit organization that seeks to grant wishes to children diagnosed with life-threatening diseases.
When Kerley entered her room on Thursday, she was greeted by a recording from Martin, one of the cast members on the reality show who works in the Duck Commander warehouse. "Hey Zoe, on behalf of the whole Duck Commander Crew, your wish has been granted. Congratulations!" the recording said, according to WSLS-TV. Additionally, the "Duck Dynasty" crew provided posters, decorations, and a signed "Duck Dynasty" hat for the young girl.
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"This is her Make-A-Wish … but it affects all of us who have loved and watched her go through this. We get to watch just happiness," Star, Zoe's mother, told WSLS-TV. Star added that her daughter shares a strong Christian faith in a similar way to the cast members of "Duck Dynasty," and it is her faith and fearlessness that pulls the entire family through tough times.
"Zoe has a great faith," Star said. "One of the hardest conversations is she'll tell ya … 'I'm not afraid to die … because I know I'm going to heaven.'"
Zoe's diagnosis with pulmonary hypertension, or abnormally high blood pressure of the arteries in the lungs, means she only has an estimated five years to live, although her family says they're trying to make her life span longer by pro-active medical treatment.
The Make-A-Wish foundation has helped other children achieve their dreams as they battle life-threatening diseases. The nonprofit organization made headlines in November 2013 for helping a 5-year-old suffering from leukemia be BatKid, an assistant to the comic book hero Batman. The boy, Miles Scott, got to tour the city of San Francisco all day, helping Batman stop crime and save citizens, including a damsel in distress, from the evil Penguin villain. Hundreds of San Francisco residents turned out to cheer Miles on in his adventure, and Patricia Wilson, executive director of the Make-A-Wish foundation, told the SF Gate that community participation is what makes their efforts truly spectacular.
"I thought I could do it on a scale that a 5-year-old would appreciate," Wilson said. "But apparently, it's on a scale now that the nation appreciates."
In another touching story, Make-A-Wish helped granted 12-year-old Taylon Davis, who has an inoperable brain tumor, her wish of dancing and singing with Beyonce. While performing in Las Vegas, the pop icon visited the young girl at her seat, and the two sang and danced to two of Beyonce's most well-known songs.
