A 13-year-old who was granted a ‘Make-A-Wish’ chose to feed his city’s homeless people for a year

Sometimes the youngest of people are the wisest among all. Blessed with a new chance at life, Adeola ‘Abraham’ Olagbegi wished to give back to society with a kind gesture not many kids think of. After he was gifted with a Maka-A-Wish, the 13-year-old decided to use the lucky privilege to feed hundreds of the homeless in his hometown of Jackson, Mississippi, for a year. The teenager had battled through a rare and life-threatening blood disorder, a difficult time that shaped him and turned his life around, per CNN. 

Abraham was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a type of bone marrow failure, in June 2020. The disease caused several health complications due to his body not producing enough blood cells for support. But the boy did not lose his faith in Good and hope. He needed a bone marrow transplant to survive. Ten months later, Abraham proved tougher than the disease and returned home safe following a successful transplant. “I am a person of hope, so when you come against a big mountain, you have to remember you have a big God. I had my transplant 10 months ago in November 2020, so I am doing good,” he told CNN affiliate WLBT. 

When Make-A-Wish Mississippi granted him a wish to ask for anything, he proposed a special initiative that would go on to impact hundreds of people and win hearts. The youngster launched Abraham’s Table, a service meant to provide meals to the homeless every third Saturday of the month for a year, located in Pointdexter Park. He and a group of volunteers were determined to make it a success. Make-A-Wish spokesperson Jamie Sandys, impressed by the 13-year-old’s efforts, said, “It’s such a beautiful example of how one kid has been able to unite an entire community. Between the businesses that have donated food and the people who have received food, Abraham’s wish has directly impacted hundreds of people at this point.” 

He also aims to turn his initiative into a full-fledged non-profit organization that will continue to help and feed the underprivileged. A remarkable feat for his age group, Abraham, however, noted he was raised doing this. Until his diagnosis, the Olagbegis fed the homeless in their community every month. As Abraham’s medical bills caught up, they were forced to relocate the funds for food donations to his treatments. “It was always a good thing to do, and that’s what I grew up doing. So, I go back to my roots to do what I was taught to do,” he said. Miriam Olagbegi, his mother, could not be prouder of her son, who has seen so much of life at 13 and is already working towards building a legacy of his own. News outlets like @NBCNightlyNews and @Goodable covered his story. 

She shared that the experience taught her son “valuable life lessons” and could only hope to raise “good, God-fearing, productive members of society.” Miriam added, “Sometimes we get things wrong and sometimes we get things right; so it’s nice to see when things go right.” According to Make-A-Wish America, the organization grants wishes to children and teens, aged between 2 to 18, who are battling serious diseases or health issues. They help the children feel better and give them hope to fight and overcome the illnesses.