A cancer patient dreamed of visiting the Mississippi Coast. Make-A-Wish made it happen

Hannah Ruhoff
·3 min read

A Mississippi boy recovering from cancer had a dream of one day seeing the ocean and playing on the beach — something he had never done before. This week that dream was fulfilled in a big way.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation, which fulfills wishes of children with critical illnesses, sponsored a trip for Weston Brown, 6, of Ellisville, Mississippi, and his parents, four siblings and grandmother to visit the Mississippi Coast. The foundation helped the family plan an itinerary highlighting the different water-related activities around the Coast — including Weston’s favorite activity, fishing — and even got local city officials from Gulfport, Biloxi and others involved to help Weston and his family feel welcomed.

Weston Brown, 6, of Ellisville, and his family watch a dolphin jump during a dolphin encounter at the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, as a part of his Make-A-Wish trip to the Mississippi Coast.
Weston Brown, 6, of Ellisville, and his family watch a dolphin jump during a dolphin encounter at the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, as a part of his Make-A-Wish trip to the Mississippi Coast.

On Monday, Weston and his family got to arrive in a classic car at the Margaritaville resort, where they were given a VIP welcome by mayors of different Coast cities, before spending the day at the arcade. On Tuesday, the family went deep-sea fishing and spent Wednesday interacting with penguins and dolphins at the Mississippi Aquarium.

“We are very grateful for this, for sure, because we don’t get to do a lot of this. At home we’re constantly at the doctor’s even though he’s in remission,” Weston’s mom, Nicole Holly, said as she watched her kids eat lunch at the aquarium, enjoying the sun and the sea life.

Weston Brown, 6, of Ellisville, and his siblings Caleb Holly, center, and Cayden Brown play catch with a dolphin during a dolphin encounter at the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, as a part of Weston’s Make-A-Wish trip to the Mississippi Coast. Weston is in remission from a rare cancer and wanted to see the ocean for his trip.

In January 2023, Weston was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare soft tissue cancer that is most often seen in children.

According to Nicole, around that time she started noticing Weston’s eye was swelling. She said a few doctors dismissed it, saying it was just allergies or a possible cyst. But that cyst was in fact a tumor growing behind Weston’s eye.

Weston had emergency surgery to remove the tumor, and then underwent months of chemotherapy and radiation treatments to make sure the cancer was gone.

“We were lucky and caught it so early,” she said. “He was always sick, he handled it well though. He’s better than me, I’d be crying but he was just like, throw up and go about his way. He was bald and everything, but he didn’t care.”

Weston is now in remission, but Nicole says it’s been tough. She says she can’t even look at photos of Weston when he was bald, but the trip has really helped give them a moment to relax as a family.

“I don’t get a break, I don’t get to be a mom and just enjoy everything. It’s all stress all the time. So this is a nice little stress-relief vacation,” she said.

Weston Brown, 6, center right, and his siblings stand in a hurricane simulator at the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Weston, who is in remission from cancer, chose to come to the Mississippi Coast for a trip provided by Make-A-Wish.
Weston Brown, 6, center right, and his siblings stand in a hurricane simulator at the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Weston, who is in remission from cancer, chose to come to the Mississippi Coast for a trip provided by Make-A-Wish.

Nicole said Make-A-Wish asked the family if they’d like to do a trip. The foundation came to their home and spoke to Weston about what he might possibly like to do. Weston turned down any idea that didn’t involve his favorite activity of fishing, which he would not stop thinking about and talking about all throughout his treatment.

Out of all the ideas Make-A-Wish gave him, it quickly became clear the Mississippi Coast was the best option — he could fish, see the beach and the ocean and not be too far from his doctors.

The family still has two more days on the Mississippi Coast. On Thursday, the family will help participate in releasing sea turtles rehabbed by the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies back into the Mississippi Sound before going on a dolphin watching cruise with Ship Island Excursions. On Friday, they will get to swim with dolphins and stingrays at Ocean Adventures Marine Park.

Weston Brown, 6, of Ellisville, right, and his siblings wave to two dolphins at the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, during a dolphin encounter experience. Weston, who is in remission from cancer, chose to come to the Mississippi Coast for his Make-A-Wish trip because he had never been to the ocean before and loves to fish.
Weston Brown, 6, right, and his siblings watch dolphins swim past at the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Weston, who is in remission from cancer, toured the aquarium as a part of his trip to the Mississippi Coast provided by Make-A-Wish.
Weston Brown, 6, right, and his siblings watch dolphins swim past at the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Weston, who is in remission from cancer, toured the aquarium as a part of his trip to the Mississippi Coast provided by Make-A-Wish.
Weston Brown, 6, of Ellisville, pets a penguin named Pumpkin during a special tour at the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, as a part of his Make-A-Wish trip to the Mississippi Coast. Weston, who is in remission from cancer, chose to come to the coast because he had never been to the ocean before and loves to fish.
Weston Brown, 6, of Ellisville, pets a penguin named Pumpkin during a special tour at the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, as a part of his Make-A-Wish trip to the Mississippi Coast. Weston, who is in remission from cancer, chose to come to the coast because he had never been to the ocean before and loves to fish.
Weston Brown, 6, center, watches fish with his siblings Remington and Riley, right, at the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Weston, who is in remission from cancer, chose to come to the Mississippi Coast for a trip provided by Make-A-Wish.
Weston Brown, 6, center, watches fish with his siblings Remington and Riley, right, at the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Weston, who is in remission from cancer, chose to come to the Mississippi Coast for a trip provided by Make-A-Wish.
Weston Brown, 6, walks through the aviary with his siblings at the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Weston, who is in remission from cancer, chose to come to the Mississippi Coast for a trip provided by Make-A-Wish.
Weston Brown, 6, walks through the aviary with his siblings at the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Weston, who is in remission from cancer, chose to come to the Mississippi Coast for a trip provided by Make-A-Wish.