BrightView Teams Up with Make-A-Wish to Bring Teen’s Dream to Life

BrightView makes wishes come true on a daily basis for our customers by creating and maintaining some of the best landscapes on Earth.  

But this wish was different.

BrightView was in San Jacinto, Calif., where Henry, a visually impaired 15 year old who suffers from chronic kidney failure, had a wish: He wanted a sensory garden full of the smells and feels that would help paint a visual picture in his mind of the world around him.

His parents reached out to Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire (OCIE) – a nonprofit organization that helps fulfill the wishes of children with a critical illness – to help Henry’s dream come true.

After repeated failed attempts by Make-A-Wish to work with local landscapers to design and create the project, Mark Carlos, VP of BrightView Design Group, and a member of the Make-A-Wish OCIE Board, learned of the wish and offered BrightView’s services.

“When I heard about this young man’s wish, I knew immediately that BrightView could step in and make it a reality for him,” said Carlos. “We create and maintain the best landscapes on Earth. For Henry, that meant making his backyard – his world – an escape from life’s challenges.”

BrightView’s Design Group and several maintenance branches in the Inland Empire area connected to bring the project to life.

The garden, which was completed in just three days in December 2022, includes various plants, rocks, a sensory wall and fountain.

“It’s wonderful,” Henry’s dad, Enrique, said. “This is something Henry is going to enjoy. Thank you so much. This is Henry’s world!”

Make-A-Wish OCIE was also grateful for BrightView’s efforts and kindness.

“We are so thankful for the willingness and support of BrightView to grant Henry’s wish,” said Gloria Jetter Crockett, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish OCIE. “Our organization relies on community support to continue to bring hope to kids battling critical illnesses across Orange County and the Inland Empire.”

Steve Pratt, Branch Manager, Murrieta, and Dan Garcia, Jr., Enhancement Manager, Murrieta, were instrumental in bringing Henry’s wish to life.

“The way they pulled this project off says a lot about our team here at BrightView,” said Carlos. “Henry’s wish would not have come true without the hard work and persistence by Steve and Dan’s teams. The enhancement work Dan’s team did to pull this off was extraordinary given the timeframe we had and the weather conditions we had to endure. Hats off to these teams!”

“It was incredible watching this project progress. We saw three Landscape Service branches come together to pitch in, with Dan at the forefront managing the bulk of the project,” Pratt said. “A huge thank you to everyone that took time out of their busy schedules to bring this vision to life before the holidays.”

Click here to read more about the project.

Carlos and other members of the BrightView family also recently attended two galas hosted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation that recognized their partners in the California area. BrightView has had team members participating on Make-A-Wish Boards on an ongoing basis in California.