WISH GRANTED: A night of pure magic as young hockey fan meets his hero

by Charlie Bunton–Special Contributor

Rogers City has always taken pride in its hometown stories, but few shine as brightly as the one written this winter by a determined 10-year-old boy named Anderson Shaughnessy. The son of 1997 Rogers City High School graduate and former Miss Rogers City Andrea (Sobeck) Shaughnessy, Anderson has spent his life fighting a rare and unforgiving genetic disorder. Yet on one unforgettable night, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Detroit Red Wings, he wasn’t a patient or a kid battling the odds—he was simply a hockey player living out his dream.

Anderson was diagnosed with Hurler syndrome, a lifeshortening condition that prevents the body from breaking down certain complex sugars. It’s a disease that demands constant medical care, and his family moved to Minnesota when he was still a baby to be closer to the treatments he needed. In just 10 years, he has endured nearly two dozen procedures. But none of that has dimmed his spirit. His mother describes him as a kid with “swagger and confidence,” the kind of energy other children gravitate toward.

That spark only grows brighter when hockey enters the picture. Anderson fell in love with the sport early, long before he ever stepped onto real ice. His first arena was his mother’s Nintendo Wii, where he spent hours calling out, “Number 88—Patrick Kane with the goal!” from the next room. Kane quickly became his hero, and the dream of meeting him became the wish Anderson held closest.

The Shaughnessys had explored Make-A-Wish years earlier, but the pandemic put everything on pause. This year, they tried again—and the wheels began turning fast. Volunteers met with Anderson, gathering every detail that would make his wish feel magical: his favorite foods, his favorite treats, and of course, his dream of meeting Kane, getting a signed puck, and skating with the Red Wings.

Throughout the year, a team of “wish granters” sent Anderson monthly surprises—packages filled with his favorite things, and even a surprise birthday party. Then came the moment that made his heart race: a box from the Detroit Red Wings with souvenirs and a note announcing that he would meet Kane that very week.

Anderson chose to bring his cousin Nora, a fellow hockey lover, along for the adventure. When they arrived at Little Caesars Arena, the magic began immediately. The family toured the facility, enjoyed a lunch made entirely of Anderson’s favorite foods, and sat on the players’ bench. As he soaked in the sights, Kane walked up and greeted him, setting off a chain of moments that would stay with Anderson forever.

INSIDE THE locker room, players filtered in one by one, each calling out, “Hey Anderson!” A personalized locker had been prepared just for him, complete with a custom Red Wings’ jersey. After practice, the players invited him onto the ice. For that afternoon, Anderson wasn’t defined by his diagnosis—he was a teammate. He skated drills, took shots on goal, traded fist bumps and highfives, and even played Xbox with Marco Kasper and Emmitt Finnie.

The next evening brought even more history. As the Red Wings faced the Washington Capitals, Kane became the alltime leading NHL scorer among U.S.born players, surpassing Mike Modano with his 1,375th point. And Anderson was right there in the middle of it.

Dressed in a brand-new outfit, he walked into the locker room beside Kane and read the starting lineup to the entire team. He gave each player a fist bump as they took the ice, sat on the bench during introductions as his name echoed through the arena and appeared on the jumbotron. During intermission, he rode the Zamboni, and a stadium chef prepared all his favorite foods. Even Capitals’ captain Alex Ovechkin stopped by to say hello.

By the time Anderson crawled into his hotel bed that night, clutching the stuffed octopus gifted by the team, the smile still hadn’t left his face. He looked at his mom and summed up the experience in six perfect words: “This was the best night ever, Mom.”

For one remarkable boy, a wish became a memory that will last a lifetime—and a reminder that even in the toughest battles, joy has a way of finding its way through.