Wish Kid Patrick of Westchester County has always enjoyed reading comic books, including Japanese anime and all things manga (“comics”). After his diagnosis of osteosarcoma and the partial amputation of his leg, Patrick knew his wish would be to meet his favorite Japanese anime artist, Ken Akamatsu.

However, due to the tragic effects of the recent tsunami and hurricane in Japan, his wish could not be fulfilled. Patrick wasn’t too down about the status of his initial wish since he knew the situation was dire. In fact, he had another wish in mind: to go to Comic Con in San Diego!

Comic Con is an annual convention for comic lovers — and perfect for Patrick! Him and his family were picked up by a limousine on July 20th and brought to their flight to San Diego. The convention began on July 21st and Patrick began his VIP experience. Over four days, he was escorted through many exhibits, including “Kodansha Comics” (creators of Love Hina and Sailor Moon); “The Penguins of Madagascar” with producers of Kim Possible, Wolverine, X-Men, Madagascar, Futurama and The Cleveland Show; and the “FUNimation Industry Panel” about North America’s leaders in anime. Patrick was also a special guest of the panel “Marvel vs. Capcom” where fans “fought” against each other for fantastic prizes! He was also a special guest of the panel “Filipino Invasion,” which featured Filipino comic artists, including Tony Dezuniga, creator of Jonah Hex.

Upon returning home from his trip, Patrick could only find one word to describe his wish: FANTASTIC! He and his family
had a great time and extend their deepest thanks and gratitude to all the Make-A-Wish staff and volunteers who helped make his wish possible. Patrick’s wish was not only an amazing experience but also opened him up to the anime and comic industry. After meeting some great mentors, Patrick is now considering anime as a career path!