Make-A-Wish Mississippi grants local boy’s dream trip to Japan

D’IBERVILLE, Miss. (WXXV)- As Make-a-Wish Mississippi’s Summer of Wishes continues, one Biloxi family celebrated a Wish Reveal party made possible by Galleria BMW.

Nine-year-old Asher Bonura is battling cancer and his wish is to travel to Japan and visit the place where Pokémon began.

Pokémon has been a big part of his life, shared with his twin brother and family through their card collection and time spent together, moments that have helped keep his spirits strong through his battle.

We spoke with Asher’s mom, Kristen, about what this moment means for their family. “We started this journey September 2024. So, we’re almost coming up on two years and from the very beginning Asher has loved Pokémon. It’s become something that has gotten us through so many dark days. He was diagnosed with a rare condition, rhabdomyosarcoma, stage four, and he was given 33 percent chance of survival. He really, really rocked it. We had a huge community and lots of family that prayed us through everything. Really, Asher has been nothing but a miracle since day one.”

As the countdown to Japan begins, Asher reminds us that even after life’s hardest moments, the future still holds endless possibilities.