- Andrew Jeffs, 12, has his wish fulfilled to see yellow-eyed penguins in New Zealand.
- Diagnosed with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Andrew's wish was granted by Make-A-Wish in 2025.
- The trip was supported by Chase Bank's donations, aiding travel for wish families.
DRAPER — Andrew Jeffs knew exactly what he'd wish for when he was referred to Make-A-Wish Utah, based on his love of penguins.
The 12-year-old, accompanied by his family, fulfilled his wish in November to see rare yellow-eyed penguins in their New Zealand homeland. The Jeffs family spent about a week in early November observing penguins in the wild and exploring other sights in New Zealand.
"I think my favorite part about it was (seeing) the (penguin) chicks come out of the nest boxes to greet their parents — I think it's hilarious," Andrew told KSL.
He also had the chance to watch staff at a wildlife hospital feed baby yellow-eyed penguins.
Nathan Jeffs said his son's cardiologist nominated Andrew for the opportunity, and in May of last year, the family got the news that the wish had been granted.
"It was really special for us. I mean, it was an opportunity for our whole family to go out there and share that together to see the penguins and just visit New Zealand in general," he said.
His appreciation for penguins was inspired by seeing and learning about them during visits to the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium. Seeing the different species of penguins in their natural habitat provided a brief escape from Andrew's daily reality.
He has a rare connective tissue disorder that Andrew's mother, Sarah Jeffs, said he's been battling since his early years of life. Andrew was diagnosed at age 2 with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a disorder that impacts a person's blood vessel strength and internal organs.
While vascular EDS is generally rare, according to the Cleveland Clinic, there is no cure for the condition.
For most kids Andrew's age, certain sports and activities may be a favorable pastime, but his parents have had to be cautious about which activities Andrew can participate in.
"He's at risk of getting hurt a lot more easily than other kids are, so contact sports are out," Sarah Jeffs told KSL.
Andrew sees a cardiologist and has regular hospital checkups to monitor his condition, which his mother said can have varying outcomes and challenges.
"One day the scan could look good, and the next day he could be walking into the emergency room," Sarah Jeffs said. "So the scan just shows you what it looks like today at that moment, and not necessarily what the future might look like."
Make-A-Wish aims to make dreams come true for children with critical illnesses like Andrew's, providing a sense of hope and strength during a challenging time in their lives.
"Our vision is to reach every eligible child. So for the Utah chapter, that's every eligible child within Utah, and we rely on all kinds of community support to make that happen," said Kelsey DiTommaso, director of marketing and communications at Make-A-Wish Utah.
Andrew's trip was made possible through Make-A-Wish's partnership with Chase Bank, which has donated $4 million through its Ultimate Rewards points program toward fueling costs of travel for hundreds of wish kids and their families, according to DiTommaso.
She said that about 75% of wishes granted nationally require some form of travel, so partnerships are vital to making wishes come true.
The Jeffs' family said they're grateful to all of those who helped make Andrew's wish come true, and they hope to visit New Zealand again in the future.
"I'm so glad Make-A-Wish Foundation exists; it helps a lot of children that have hard lives," Andrew said.
