With help from Broyhill Furniture and Pieroway's, the regional Make-a-Wish Foundation unveiled the teen's private space.
Carl King, 16, of Westfield, who is awaiting a liver transplant, in his new bedroom provided by the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island in collaboration with the Broyhill furniture corporation nationally and Pieroway's Furniture locally.WESTFIELD – For 16-year-old Carl King, his dream for a new bedroom where he can relax while awaiting a liver transplant came true Thursday when the regional Make-a-Wish Foundation unveiled the teen’s private space.
The Make-a-Wish Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island granted Carl’s wish for a new bedroom with the help of the Broyhill Furniture corporation on the national level, as well as Pieroway’s furniture locally.
Thursday’s unveiling of the New England Patriot’s-themed bedroom was a celebration for Carl and his parents, Karen M. and Sam W. King. Carl said he chose to have his room decorated in recognition of his favorite football team because he has good memories of going to games with his father.
“My dad had season tickets and we used to go,” he said, adding that some of his other interests include “sports, working at Six Flags New England, snowboarding and making people laugh.”
Karen King said her son was first diagnosed with liver disease in October 2009 when they also learned he had Type I diabetes as well. Carl is now on a national donor list for a liver transplant, but the good news is that regular blood test results have shown that his liver is functioning at an acceptable level, which has put him lower on the donor list.
“It’s based on his lab results, and he’s been doing better,” Karen King said.
While the ultimate goal is the transplant, knowing their son is functioning like a normal 16-year-old is comforting to his family, said Sam King.
“It’s good news,” he said. “We all wish for our kids to be healthy.”
In the meantime, Carl can enjoy his down time in the room created just for him according to his specifications. Once he was approved for the room makeover by Make-a-Wish, he was allowed to shop online for his new furniture, bedding, wall art, window coverings and his very favorite item - a wrought-iron lamp fashioned after the Eiffel Tower.
“It’s a relaxing place to be, and it looks cool,” said Carl, a Westfield High School sophomore.
Peg A. Wheble, development officer for Make-a-Wish of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, said Carl was referred to the foundation by his medical team in Boston and is one of 50 recipients nationally of a new bedroom. Making the wish come true, she added, could not have been possible without the cooperation of Broyhill.
“Broyhill is helping the Foundation grant these room-makeover wishes across the country,” she said. “The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.”
For Pieroway’s Furniture owner Michael L. Ouimette, helping to enrich Carl’s life was a joy for himself as well. “This feels good,” he said while surveying the unveiling in Carl’s room. “It’s a great feeling to help someone.”