SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A young girl dealing with a difficult diagnosis is getting her wish of becoming a zookeeper.
This wasn’t a typical trip to the zoo for Luci as she said the adventure fulfilled everything she ever dreamed of.
From greedy giraffes to excited elephants, Luci Austin was in an animal lover’s paradise.
“She loves every animal, getting to see them, experience them,” said Elena Hardin, Luci’s mom.
The 10-year-old jet-setted from Delaware to Southwest Miami-Dade to live out her wildest dream of becoming a zookeeper., thanks to Make-A-Wish South Florida.
The organization provided the video of the whole experience to 7News.
The video shows Luci tagging with one of our best, Zoo Miami’s Ron Magill.
“In my almost 45 years at the zoo, there’s nothing that gives me greater pleasure than being with these wish kids,” said Ron Magill, Zoo Miami’s goodwill ambassador.
Luci has persevered through a difficult condition that led to a liver transplant.
“You saw her so sick and laying in a hospital bed for so long. It kind of tore you down as a parent,” said Hardin.
But her visit to Zoo Miami brought a bright smile to her face.
“I see the normal little girl I saw before she got sick because she was, you know, healthy for most of her life, and then things just changed very quickly,” said Hardin.
Luci received VIP treatment at the zoo as she came face-to-face with a singing parrot who sang her happy birthday.
She also experienced a tiny reptile who fell asleep on her and got to smile next to a giant tortoise.
“I truly believe that these animals know that these kids have faced challenges. These animals seem to react to them differently than they do with other people in many ways,” said Magil.
It has been a long road for Luci and her family, but their recent trip to Zoo Miami made the load easier to carry.
“I asked her, you know, is there anything different that could’ve been done? She’s like, ‘It’s a perfect day, this is a perfect day,’ and that’s all we could’ve asked for,” said Hardin.
Hardin said she is grateful to her daughter’s care team and Make-A-Wish for making her daughter’s wish come true.
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