Press Release: Make-A-Wish Sends Team Of 31 Kids To WrestleMania

The Make-A-Wish Foundation issued the following press release:

Make-A-Wish® Sends Team of 31 Wish Kids to WrestleMania® 30
Wish Kids Travel to New Orleans for Sports Entertainment’s Biggest Night

PHOENIX (April 3, 2014) – On Sunday, April 6, millions of WWE® fans around the world will watch their favorite WWE Superstars and Divas during WrestleMania® 30 at the Mercedes Benz Superdome in New Orleans. Meanwhile, 31 wish kids and their families will get to experience the sights and sounds of the annual event firsthand. Make-A-Wish®, through the help of WWE, has planned a weekend chocked-full of activities guaranteed to amaze the loyal fans.

The excitement begins Thursday, April 3, when wish kids and their families from across the country converge on the historic city of New Orleans. In addition to attending Sunday night’s spectacle, the wish kids will:

* have exclusive opportunities to meet WWE Superstars and Divas including a private autograph session;
* be inducted into the Circle of Champions at a luncheon with a surprise WWE Superstar at Audubon Aquarium;
* attend the biggest fan event of the year, WrestleMania Axxess.

The wish kids and their families will also have free time to tour the Big Easy, giving them a chance to enjoy time together as a family.

With 31 wish kids attending, WrestleMania is one of the largest wish granting endeavors of the year. However, WWE helps grant wishes year round by donating tickets to WWE events nationwide and coordinating meet and greets with WWE talent. In addition, since 2008, WWE has made an annual contribution of $350,000 to Make-A-Wish.

“Many wish kids enjoy watching WWE because it makes them feel strong and confident,” said David Williams, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. “They see how tough their favorite Superstars and Divas are and it inspires them to continue battling their life-threatening medical conditions.”

WWE has been involved in wish granting since the early 1980s, beginning shortly after the founding of Make-A-Wish. The popularity of WWE has endured throughout the years with a total wish count easily numbering in the thousands – 121 wishes in 2013 alone. Since 2001, more than 45 Superstars and Divas have individually been requested, and subsequently, granted a wish.