Sartell Middle School Student’s Wish Comes True [VIDEO]

SARTELL -- A little girl's wish came true Friday afternoon at Sartell Middle School.

Sophie Lathe is a 5th grader at Sartell Middle School and with the help of her peers, and the Make a Wish Foundation will be heading to Disneyworld.

Lathe was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a disease which takes a person's muscular strength by affecting the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord, making it difficult to walk, eat, and breathe.

Karrie Fredrickson says the Sartell Student Council has been active in the Make-A-Wish Foundation the last few years and to make a wish come true for one of their peers is truly magical.

"They think Make-A-Wish is a great program and each time they've been able to make it personal within our district and it really rally's people to be apart of it."

The student body held an assembly to make the big reveal, similar to what they did for last year's Make-A-Wish recipient Jackson Stewart. Colin Nord is on the Sartell Student Council. He says seeing Jackson's face last year, prompted them to make another wish come true.

"It was spectacular last year. We never knew how amazing it would be, and when we say the joy on his face we knew we wanted to do it again."

Sophie's parents, Garret and Holly Lathe, were in attendance for the big surprise. They say they are overwhelmed by the loving support the community has shown their family.

"To be part of that and to call this place home is exciting and so hopeful," says Holly.

 

"If you ask anyone with a chronic illness in their family, there's some difficult moments. The one thing you hear over and over again is it does teach families the idea of empathy and thinking outside yourself." says Garret

The Sartell Student Council would like to thank the community for their generosity and support for making Sophie's wish come true.