Sarah Finnegan
Troy Grauel, 15, gets surpsied by his friend Luke and the Make-A-Wish Foundation at the Birmingham Zoo on December 18, 2017. Troy will get to visit Washington D.C. and the various museums as part of his wish.
A Homewood High School student and his best friend will get to see Washington, D.C. next year thanks to Make-A-Wish Alabama and Full Moon Bar-B-Que.
Fifteen-year-old Troy Grauel has pituitary Langerhans cell histiocytosis, a rare disease with symptoms primarily affecting the bones, skin and lymph nodes. His mother, Sacha Skinner, said Troy is a lifelong animal lover and had wanted to see the National Zoo in D.C., but it wouldn't be possible without his wish being granted.
Full Moon Bar-B-Que co-owners David and Joe Maluff said they like to give back to the community when they can, and they partnered with the Make-A-Wish organization through its Adopt-A-Wish program to fund Troy's trip to D.C. Troy has been on the list to receive a wish since summer 2015.
"Today is going to be a special day for us," David Maluff said on Dec. 18. "We're not just selling barbecue, we're here to grant a wish."
The wish reveal was a day of two surprises for Troy, Skinner said. He believed he was heading to a doctor's appointment, but instead he was given a tour of the Birmingham Zoo. His first stop was the primate house, and friends and family waited outside with a banner announcing his trip to D.C.
"I think he's in shock," Skinner laughed after the surprise left him speechless.
Troy will go to D.C. in 2018, along with his best friend, and will see the National Zoo, Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and other famous sites.
"This means a whole lot to Troy, especially his best friend going with him," Skinner said. "He's loved animals since he was little."
