We actually made it to Australia for the fulfillment of our daughter's wish. What a fabulous trip, what an amazing day! It was everything we had imagined and more. From the minute we pulled into the parking lot at ten in the morning to about five when we left that afternoon, we were in awe of Australia Zoo and the legacy that Steve Irwin has left behind. We couldn't help but feel that he would be so proud of everything his family and staff have accomplished at the zoo and beyond.
We walked through the doors and were blown away by it all. And both our daughters loved connecting closely with their favourite Australian marsupials: the koala and the kangaroo. They got to pat them, feed them, hold hands with them and in the case of our eldest daughter, even hold one. And we have photographic proof of her dream come true as a gift from the zoo.
As we sat in Steve Irwin's Crocoseum and saw and heard his words made beautiful by the soaring birds and the lumbering crocodiles that were part of the show, I felt profoundly moved. Yes, this was about a khaki-clad man who said "crikey" a lot; one who spent a great deal of time rolling around on the ground with crocs, calming snakes and rescuing all manner of animals but he was incredibly passionate about all living creatures and it is obvious at Australia Zoo. Steve said "If we can teach people about wildlife, they will be touched. Share my wildlife with me. Because humans want to save something that they love." Conservation is the goal.
The Children's Wish Foundation and Special Olympics Coach Susan have the eternal thanks of our whole family. They gave our daughter and our family a trip that we will never forget. They will never know what this wish has meant to us all--- the fact that our daughter has not had a seizure since she heard about this amazing gift says it all: thank you, thank you, thank you!
We walked through the doors and were blown away by it all. And both our daughters loved connecting closely with their favourite Australian marsupials: the koala and the kangaroo. They got to pat them, feed them, hold hands with them and in the case of our eldest daughter, even hold one. And we have photographic proof of her dream come true as a gift from the zoo.
As we sat in Steve Irwin's Crocoseum and saw and heard his words made beautiful by the soaring birds and the lumbering crocodiles that were part of the show, I felt profoundly moved. Yes, this was about a khaki-clad man who said "crikey" a lot; one who spent a great deal of time rolling around on the ground with crocs, calming snakes and rescuing all manner of animals but he was incredibly passionate about all living creatures and it is obvious at Australia Zoo. Steve said "If we can teach people about wildlife, they will be touched. Share my wildlife with me. Because humans want to save something that they love." Conservation is the goal.
The Children's Wish Foundation and Special Olympics Coach Susan have the eternal thanks of our whole family. They gave our daughter and our family a trip that we will never forget. They will never know what this wish has meant to us all--- the fact that our daughter has not had a seizure since she heard about this amazing gift says it all: thank you, thank you, thank you!
