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After battling rare blood disease, teen chooses to feed the hungry with his Make-A-Wish

Make-A-Wish
Posted at 10:19 AM, Nov 12, 2021
and last updated 2021-11-12 13:19:44-05

After battling a life-threatening disease, children and teenagers granted a "make-a-wish" typically look forward to vacations with their family or a meet-and-greet with their favorite celebrity.

Not 13-year-old Adeola "Abraham" Olagbegi. He wanted to feed hungry people in his community.

According to WAPT-TV and WLBT-TV in Jackson, Mississippi, Abraham was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder in 2020. After a painful bone marrow transplant and rounds of chemotherapy, he's out of the hospital and doing much better.

After the difficult months of treatment, Abraham was told he could have a wish granted by Make-A-Wish Mississippi. For Abraham, the choice was easy.

Prior to his diagnosis, WLBT reports that Abraham and his family would volunteer to feed the homeless in their community once a month. He said those past experiences led him to pick a unique experience for his wish.

"It was always a good thing to do, and that's what I grew up doing that. So, I go back to my roots to do what I was taught to do," he told WLBT.

To grant Abraham's wish, Make-A-Wish Mississippi created Abraham's Table — a service that will provide free meals to the homeless every third Saturday in Jackson's Poindexter Park for the next year.

Linda Sermons, an assistant with Make-A-Wish Mississippi, said it's the first time in the organization's 35-year history that they've gotten a request for a charitable wish.

"When he so easily gives to others at a time where everybody should really be supporting him, you just have to say, that's a remarkable young man," Sermons told WAPT.

"My mom always says it's a blessing to be a blessing so I just wanted to do something for other people to make it last longer," he told WAPT.

In addition to helping him feed the hungry, Make-A-Wish also gave Abraham a new microphone and a laptop so he can create a YouTube channel to inspire others.