Ezra packed his suitcase for the San Diego Zoo. Then he asked his parents if they were ready to go to on his wish trip, but they weren’t ready, not even close. The trip was weeks away.  Ezra packing his little suitcase and asking if his parents were ready became a recurring event in their household until his wish was finally granted in April 2024.

Another recurring event in Ezra’s life are his two daily breathing treatments, his countless doctor visits, and the twenty or so medications he must take every day of his life. “He’s a trooper, and he deals with it all,” his grandma Meladie said. “He’s a strong guy, and a happy little guy most of the time.”

Thankfully, the day of Ezra’s trip finally arrived, and Ezra was invited into the cockpit of the plane where he could manipulate the steering wheel. “We were on the ground,” he explained during a radio interview. During his visit, he also told the pilots that he was three. “That’s big,” said the pilot. “Yeah,” Ezra said.

At the San Diego Zoo, Ezra met his favorite animals: the fox, a capybara, and a beaver named Peanut. He saw other favorites like wolves and tigers. He rode in a hot air balloon as well as a sky liner that floated above the bay where he could look down the water as well as a pirate ship. He ambulated through a glass tunnel surrounded by dark waters, strange sea creatures, and toothy sharks. He saw the world-famous orcas dance at Sea World and rode in a “leopard limousine” (the name Ezra called the leopard-striped vehicle one rides) through the Safari Park. 

Now that his trip is over, Ezra has plenty of fond memories physically embodied by a little stuffed giraffe named Jeffery that he carries everywhere. "It's from Make-A-Wish," he shouted, waving it around.

“Ezra had a fabulous time,” his grandma said.