CYNTHIANA, Ky. (LEX 18) — Given her life began as her parents’ worst nightmare, it seems fitting that 6-year-old Eden Carter would be heading off on a dream vacation.
“She is super excited. She’s a girly girl and loves all things princesses, so this couldn’t be more perfect for her,” said Eden’s mother, Ashley.
Eden’s dream has been to meet a princess, and today, at her school in Harrison County, she did just that while being presented by the princess with an all-expense-paid trip for the family to visit Disney World next week.
“It’s so cool,” she said after the presentation on Wednesday morning inside the school cafeteria.
Eden has had to battle to make it this far. She needed a liver transplant as an infant.
“I couldn’t explain the emotions. You almost prepare yourself for grief,” Ashley said of the four-month wait for a donor match.
Since then, Eden has done quite well with her new organ.
“She has surpassed most of what the doctors expected her to. Now she lives a somewhat healthy, normal life,” Mrs. Carter said.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation handled all of this, but it can’t operate as it does without the generosity of others. That’s part two of this story today. The 37 St. Edward Catholic Church students spent Lent raising money for the Foundation.
“I was shocked the kids brought in $750,” said Mary Grambel with St. Edward. Their goal was $250.
“I’m just so proud of them,” she added before noting that they’ve now earned a pizza party at school and a field trip to the Newport Aquarium in northern Kentucky.
With parent donations added, St. Edward handed a check worth $1,150.50 to Make-A-Wish.
“For them to scramble together all of the money they did is just incredible,” Ashley said of Eden’s schoolmates.
The Carters leave for Orlando on Saturday and will spend five days visiting the theme park.
