Make-A-Wish Arizona celebrates 9,000th wish, will send Phoenix kid to FIFA World Cup

Make-A-Wish celebrated a milestone Monday by granting its 9,000th wish with a trip to the FIFA World Cup for a Phoenix kid.

On June 27, 12-year-old Andres Lopez Pacheco’s wish will come true when he attends a group stage match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey between Panama and England.

The celebration took place at Parsons Wish House in Scottsdale, where the young soccer fan was surprised with a custom jersey and World Cup-themed gifts.

Lopez Pacheco was born with a complex congenital heart condition where only one ventricle, which is a muscular pump that propels blood out of the heart, developed and he’s undergone four open-heart surgeries as a result.

The condition prevented the young sports fan from being able to play soccer competitively, but Lopez Pacheco still follows the sport closely, plays soccer video games and admires the positive influence professional athletes have on young fans.

His mother, Elizabeth, calls Andres a “warrior,” and his family describes him as a true fighter, a news release said. After gaining his love for soccer from his older cousins, who provided him with a source of joy throughout his medical journey, Lopez Pacheco will get to live out a dream by watching international soccer firsthand.

While his Make-A-Wish celebration will be watching Panama vs. England, Lopez Pacheco’s favorite teams are Portugal and Mexico. Mexico has already advanced to the Round of 32, and Portugal could face England or Panama in the Round of 32 based on where the three teams finish in their respective groups.

The 9,000th wish is part of a Summer of Wishes in which Make-A-Wish Arizona has a statewide campaign going to raise $1 million to be able to grant 100 wishes in 100 days. More than 500 children are currently waiting on their wishes to be granted.

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