By Beth Deitchman
As so many of our favorite Disney films have demonstrated, a wish is a powerful thing. And Disney’s new video series proves “The Wish Effect” is very real. For children with critical illnesses, a wish can bring hope, strength, and joy, so they can forget about treatment and just be a kid. And as you’ll discover in “The Wish Effect,” that impact continues long after a wish has come true. The Disney Parks Blog recently shared Tali’s wish for a Disney-themed RV camper and Henry’s selfless toy drive. The latest episode introduces TJ, whose wish to tour Walt Disney Animation Studios and meet with animators was granted in 2019.
For 40 years, Disney has worked with Make-A-Wish® to provide magic to kids like TJ of Suffolk County, New York. The 15-year-old has always been a Disney fan, but when he was diagnosed with leukemia at age 11, Disney animated films became an inspiration to him. Throughout his treatments, he watched classic films such as Lilo & Stitch, The Lion King, and Brother Bear over and over, and TJ spent hours sketching his favorite Disney and Pixar characters. It’s TJ’s goal to one day become a Disney animator, so his one true wish was to tour Walt Disney Animation Studios and meet some animators.
Disney Animation welcomed TJ and his family to their studio in February 2019 for a spectacular day that began at the Walt Disney Animation Research Library (ARL), where Fox Carney, Manager of Research, and the ARL staff invited TJ to get a close look at original drawings from some of his favorite films, as well as sketches of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck from the 1930s. Carney shared, “When I saw TJ walk in, his jaw just dropped, looking at our table of artwork. He said, ‘Wow, this really means something,’ and it shows a greater perspective when you see the connection that it makes with a child, and a child for whom this is so important.”
TJ left the ARL with two very special keepsakes, his own pair of white archivist’s gloves, along with the third volume of Walt Disney Animation Studios – The Archive Series, Design, and memories to last a lifetime. “I don’t know if there are words to describe it,” he said.
At Walt Disney Animation Studios, TJ was greeted by a group of animators and directors who worked on some of his favorite films, including Aladdin, Lilo & Stitch, Zootopia, and Wreck-It Ralph. Over lunch, they talked with TJ about their own career journeys and offered encouragement for how he can move forward as he pursues his own dreams of working in animation. “Despite the adversity [he’s faced], there he is smiling, enthusiastic, and he’s loving every minute of it,” said director and animator Eric Goldberg, who supervised the animation of the wish-granting Genie in Aladdin.
After a private tour of Walt’s Office, TJ returned to Disney Animation for some hands-on experiences designed to help him on his path to becoming an animator. Renato Dos Anjos, head of animation for Zootopia and Ralph Breaks the Internet, gave TJ an expert tutorial on computer animation, teaching him how to use a character rig and make it come to life through animation. And Alex Kupershmidt, a supervising animator from Lilo & Stitch—TJ’s favorite film—guided him through the process of character sketching (and gifted TJ with the one-of-a-kind drawings of Stitch they created together). TJ also spent time in Disney Animation’s “animation pit,” where dozens of animators stopped by to meet TJ and share stories about their work and careers.
As he prepared to return home to New York, TJ promised, “In a couple years, I’ll show up again and work here!” And since TJ’s unforgettable visit to Disney Animation, he has remained focused on the bright future that lies ahead. Recently, he and Zootopia co-director/writer Jared Bush reunited virtually for the latest installment of “The Wish Effect,” and TJ shared that he continues to work on his animation skills and heed the advice of the friends he made at Disney Animation.
The “wish effect,” goes both ways, Bush notes. “To celebrate [wish kids] for a day is so important, to allow them to look in the future and see what life is going to be like after they’re through this really hard part. It’s just really exciting to be part of that,” he said, and he told TJ that after spending time with him, the Disney animators were “feeling fantastic for days.”
Together, Disney and Make-A-Wish have made more than 140,000 wishes come true over the last four decades, and every part of The Walt Disney Company has played a role in these life-changing wishes—from theme parks around the world and Disney stores, to the television and movie studios. To learn more about the many ways Disney is working with Make-A-Wish, and to see more episodes of “The Wish Effect,” visit wish.org/Disney.
