South Mississippi Make-A-Wish Foundation grants local 14-year-old’s wish

The South Mississippi Make-A-Wish Foundation made a special surprise visit to a local Gulfport middle school to grant one student’s wish.

Arieal Wills, a student at Bayou View Middle School, was caught by surprise this afternoon as a sounding trumpet announced her trip to Disney World.

The trip comes as a relief to Arieal and her family as she has been battling brain cancer and intensive care over the past few years.

Arieal is so excited to be well and able to go on this fun trip. She tells News 25 what her first order of business on the all-expense paid trip will be. “I’ll go swim with dolphins. Oh my gosh at school. Like it was exciting though.”

Arieal’s father William Humphrey said, “She’s the light of us, so to speak. Lord knows she’s been through quite a bit, but we just feel blessed basically for her.”

Bayou View Middle School teacher Meg Barnes said, “She’s just positive and you know sometimes you look at the bright side of everything especially when you have been through so much.”

“I tell myself you got it and you’re a fighter and you can do it.”

Cindy Kenny with Make-A-Wish South Mississippi said, “And they just say goodbye to all the doctors and needles and everything that they’ve been through and they just go forward and celebrate.”

Aside from going to Disney World, Arieal enjoys playing the clarinet in her school’s band in her spare time.