ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s a wish worth waiting for. After the pandemic changed the plans for an Albuquerque teen’s ask from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, he finally got his life-changing wish granted on Sunday.
Mason Prieskorn, 14, loves being outdoors, especially hunting. “I hunt anything, anything I can get in the scope, really,” he said. But it can get tricky for him.
“I have Muscular Dystrophy, which is, basically…my muscles aren’t built like yours,” he explained.
“He was diagnosed when he was seven years old. Everyday life, it’s gradually getting harder for him because it is a muscle-wasting disease. So, his muscles tend to get weaker over time,” said Tracey Prieskorn, Mason’s mom.
Mason thought Sunday was just like any other. “I just woke up and thought it was a normal day,” he said. That was until the avid hunter, used to camouflage and blending in, was speechless in the spotlight. Friends and family came over to help Make-A-Wish New Mexico surprise Mason with a custom-built TerrainHopper.
“It will allow me to go hunting and get to places where I couldn’t usually go,” he said.
“It’s to allow him more freedom. The freedom that we take for granted,” said Bo Prieskorn, Mason’s dad. And of course, the chair comes with a custom license plate with the phrase “Huntin’ Fool” on it.
“That’s his deal. He’s a hunting fool. Not a fishing fool, he’s a hunting fool,” said Bo. The wish is one worth waiting for after a long couple of years.
“Originally, I wished to go to Africa but since the pandemic started, we weren’t able to go,” said Mason. “I really appreciate what they did for me. It will really help me do more things,” said Mason.
“A wish is not just today. We’re going to reveal Mason’s wish today but it’s going to change his life. It’s going to give him the opportunity to do things that he otherwise wouldn’t be able to do,” said Sara Lister, President, and CEO of Make-A-Wish New Mexico.
“When the camera’s gone, when all the friends and family have left, that’s when it really becomes true and that’s when we’ll see him in his element, where he gets to be free,” said Bo.
Mason’s gift was made possible by Legacy Church. They have sponsored more than 150 wishes over 17 years and church leaders were at the surprise for Mason on Sunday.