Rose in Bloom
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It’s dark. The fire crackles. She can smell the smoke. The heat is transforming its pristine white exterior into something brown and slightly charred. Flames rise and fall. She knows it can only last a few more minutes in the fire. Someone nudges her arm and hands her a graham cracker. Quite possibly, this is one of the best days of her life.
Rose, a long-time resident of a nursing facility, has multiple physical limitations that leave her wheelchair bound. She also struggles with her speech, which can sometimes make communication with the staff a little challenging. But she perseveres. Not only are they her care providers, they are her closest confidants. Rose has no family.
Despite the challenges posed by her health, Rose still carried a very special wish in her heart.
One day, a caregiver learned that Rose had a “bucket list.” In actuality, the list wasn’t really a “list” at all, as it included only one request: to roast a marshmallow on a campfire.
Moved by this simple desire, the caregiver began to make inquiries to see if Rose’s dream could be made a reality.
A group of Twilight Wish volunteers banded together to secure a wheelchair-accessible cabin at Sandy Lake, Pennsylvania, and Rose was invited to enjoy a camping trip for an entire weekend!
She was thrilled. It had been so long since she left the nursing facility.
During her trip, Rose enjoyed bird watching from the cabin’s front porch and eating blueberry pancakes on an outdoor picnic table.
Relaxed in the rustic setting, Rose shared many details about herself including her love of Tom Petty’s music and Ford Mustangs.
And, when the sun set, the group roasted marshmallows, made s’mores, and sat around the campfire singing songs. It was everything Rose had dreamed and more!
