The ESPN My Wish series is making its return for a 17th season on Sunday, July 14 and will feature a variety of athletes across different leagues. Since the start of the series in 2006, the network has worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to fulfill 83 sports-themed wishes for children who have critical illnesses. The award-winning series will continue to be hosted by Chris Connelly and will tell the stories of five children within segments on SportsCenter, the first of which will debut on Sunday.
“I’ve been part of My Wish since its inception, and I’m still just amazed by the resilience, strength and optimism of the children and families whose stories we share,” Connelly said in a statement. “I think we’re all grateful for the chance to show these wishes restoring hope and happiness to those who’ve had to endure so much.”
The San Francisco 49ers, Katie Ledecky, Duke Men’s Basketball, Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins and Freddie Freeman and the Los Angeles Dodgers all took part in the series to actualize the wishes of the children. New features will air during the 6 p.m. EST edition of SportsCenter Monday through Thursday next week, and all features will also be played again during additional versions of SportsCenter. Moreover, these features will be available through a special landing page on ESPN’s website and on the Make-A-Wish website as well, and editions of the videos will be shared on ESPN social media platforms.
“The power of the ‘My Wish’ series lies in the beautiful way that ESPN honors these wish kids and their families by letting them share their inspiring stories with viewers,” Leslie Motter, president and chief executive officer of Make-A-Wish America, said in a statement. “Once viewers hear what these families have dealt with and overcome, they can start to see the critical role a wish plays in restoring hope, joy and a sense of normalcy to families.”
