Potomac gives Make-A-Wish teen a taste of the islands
POTOMAC, Ill. (WCIA) — One Vermillion County village is banding together, giving a Make-A-Wish recipient a sendoff for her dream vacation. And, they brought the beach theme from more than 4,000 miles away.
It was a rainy day in Central Illinois, but you could still find a slice of the island life in Potomac. The village's grade school hosted a sendoff for Aleyah Carley, who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2022.
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'I was scared, anxious, all that because I was going to be gone from my family for a while,' Carley said. 'We weren't really sure what all of it meant.'
What followed was more than a year of traveling, treatment and trials.
'It's very exhausting,' said Aleyah's mother, Theresa Carley, 'It's, you know, a lot of sleepless nights wondering what the next day's going to bring.'
After a few rounds of chemo and a bone marrow transplant, Aleyah is feeling better. But one social worker gave her a suggestion to give the 16-year-old an extra boost. They suggested applying for the Make-A-Wish program, which the family did in 2023. And last year, she learned that her wish would be granted.
'I was very excited,' Aleyah said. 'It's kind of like a shock … I was like, 'Wow, this is really happening.''
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In just a few days, Aleyah is going to get to take the trip of a lifetime. But for now, she gets a little taste of the island life.
'I chose Hawaii because I feel like that's like a once in a lifetime type thing that I want to be able to do again,' Aleyah said.
The Carley's will be heading to Oahu this Sunday, but her Make-A-Wish sponsors wanted to celebrate with her at home as well.
'Our community has done so much for us over the past couple of years and supported us and encouraged us,' Theresa said. 'And now that we're in a really good spot, we really want to celebrate with them.'
Aleyah said her and her family plan visit the Pearl Harbor Museum and explore the island, but what she's most looking forward to is relaxing and resetting after fighting the disease.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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