It all began at JFK, when Eric and his family were taken from security check-in to the celebration and then to the departure gate in an electric cart decked out as Thomas the Train, Eric’s favorite cartoon character.

There were festive balloons, a bon voyage cake, giant frog and giant cow characters played by American employees, and huge, inflated figures of players on the New York Mets and Jets -Eric’s favorite teams.

“This is an unbelievable day,” said the senior Eric, whose family was kept in the dark about the bon voyage celebration until they arrived at American’s JFK Terminal. “This is a wonderful example of people coming together to make a child’s dream come true. Eric has been dreaming of going to Disney for a long time.”

Macy’s 2009 Thanks for Sharing program benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation®  and other charitable causes.

Macy’s Thanks for Sharing program has helped raise more than $50 million for charitable causes in just six years. With the public’s participation in Thanks for Sharing, Macy’s can increase that number and provide more support to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and other important causes.

Beginning September 19, 2009, for each Thanks for Sharing enrollment fee charged to a Macy’s Card, Macy’s will donate $10, up to a total of $15 million, to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and other charities.

In return, Macy’s cardholders will accumulate rewards equal to 10% of most of their Macy’s Card purchases, from their enrollment date until December 31, 2009.

To learn more, call 1-888-933-6229, ask a Sales Associate at any Macy’s store, or visit macys.com/thanks.