Make-A-Wish, Jersey Mike's makes mining dream come true for NJ boy battling leukemia
NORTH BERGEN (WABC) -- An 8-year-old boy fighting Leukemia in New Jersey lived his dream of becoming a gemstone miner.
It's a dream he says was inspired by his grandfather.
He was surprised on Tuesday in North Bergen.
"Your wish to be a gemstone miner is granted!"
Armen picked up his love for rocks and stones and geology from his Grandpa Michael, who has been teaching his 8-year-old grandson all his secrets since he could understand.
Thanks to one of his favorite restaurants, Jersey Mike's, teamed up with Make-A-Wish to send Armen to dig for precious stones amind his gallant battle against Leukemia.
"It's so meaningful to have a community that cares for a family and all families that are going through the battle of a diagnosis, a battle of cancer," Armen's father Aram Pehlivanian said.
"Heading to one of the only places in the world where you can search for real diamonds it's called 'Crater of Diamonds State Park' it's in Arkansas, the diamond state," said Chris Bogusz, COO of Make-A-Wish.
Armen is getting the upper hand in the most important battle of his life.
"Armen put the hard work in. His strength, and resiliency, he's a kid taking chemo every single day, he's smiling, he's laughing, and he's playing," Sona Pehlivanian, Armen's mother, said.
And soon, he'll be mining for diamonds.
Jersey Mike's and Make-A-Wish made she he was ready to hunt with new gear.
His love of rocks and precious stones came from his grandpa who shared the love of his decades of work as a Geologist and gave his grandson his most important tool.
The very geologist pick he used for decades.
"My daughter is also a cancer survivor and her birthday is tomorrow on the Day of Giving," Jersey Mike's franchise owner John Helm said.
On Wednesday March 26th, Jersey Mike's stores nationwide are donating 100 percent of their sales to Make A Wish.
"This will take a huge bite out of our very aggressive goal of finding more kids this year in New Jersey and being able to say to them your wish is granted," Thomas Weatherall, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish New Jersey said.
Armen and his family are so grateful.
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