Elvis and Wishes Come True

“Do something worth remembering.” – Elvis Presley

“Values are like fingerprints. Nobody’s are the same, but you leave ’em all over everything you do.” – Elvis Presley

“Music can lift us out of depression or move us to tears – it is a remedy, a tonic, orange juice for the ear. But for many of my neurological patients, music is even more – it can provide access, even when no medication can, to movement, to speech, to life. For them, music is not a luxury, but a necessity.”  – Oliver Sacks, M.D., neurologist and author

Everyone, those with or without ALS, needs to find joy and meaning in life. When someone has been diagnosed with ALS, there can often be a sense of urgency to find joy and meaning by fulfilling long held dreams and wishes. And dreams and wishes are worth pursuing. According to a recent Make-A-Wish® study, these experiences bring back hope and the ability to fight harder against illness. Family members report that their family bonds are strengthened and repaired. And medical professionals tell us that they believe fulfilled dreams and wishes can actually influence a patient’s physical health condition.

While visiting a family this past January in Hull, England, I discovered that Sal, a patient that ALS Worldwide has worked with for several years, shared my love of Elvis Presley, The King of Rock and Roll. As soon as we began speaking about Elvis, I could see an immediate change in Sal’s appearance–a gleam in his eye, a smile on his face, a passion in his voice. During the course of our conversation, Sal told me his lifelong dream was to visit Graceland, Elvis’ home in Memphis, Tennessee.

With the support of his incredibly loving brother Mehmet and best friend Nick, ALS Worldwide was able to help Sal fulfill his dream this June. Sal, Mehmet and Nick flew to Madison, Wisconsin where they met me, Steve, and our families. We rented a minivan and headed south to Memphis, setting off on an unforgettable journey into the world of an American legend, listening to Elvis’ music for the entire ten hour drive.

Once in Memphis, we toured Graceland, Elvis’ charming and stately colonial revival-style mansion and grounds, along with many special museums and exhibits. We stood on the very spot where Elvis recorded his first songs at Sun Studio and we were interviewed on the Elvis Radio Channel on SiriusXM by George Klein, legendary Memphis DJ, TV personality and Elvis’ lifelong friend. 

And just like Elvis, we enjoyed eating at the best Memphis BBQ restaurants and listening to wonderful live music at the many clubs on the city’s famous Beale Street. We even journeyed to Elvis’ birthplace in Tupelo, Mississippi to tour the humble, two room house where Elvis spent his earliest years.

Words honestly fail me when I try to explain how incredibly fulfilling and deeply moving it was to be a part of making Sal’s dream come true. Fulfilled wishes and dreams touch us all, givers and receivers alike. This experience has also shown me that many of us can be healed even if we cannot be cured. 

Elvis’ music playing on his iPad, and many great memories in his heart. It was a trip that none of us will ever forget, and one that Sal will carry with him in the days ahead as he lives with ALS/MND, and seeks further joy and meaning in his life. 

Sal’s story brings to mind the incredible power of positive thinking, which enables people to approach setbacks and difficulties in more productive, healthy ways. Such positivism offers a range of benefits, from creating a buffer against depression to helping patients better cope with stress. It also improves immunity, both emotional and physical resilience, and overall health. 

However, throughout our work with ALS/MND patients and their families, we’ve often discovered that many wishes and dreams do not include big trips or meeting famous people. No matter the scale–whether it’s help with symptom management, paying a bill, or simply the desire to spend quality time with friends and family–each one is profoundly important and each one of us should help fulfill an ALS/MND patient’s wish or dream if we are in a position to do so. 

Speaking of wishes, we also wish to thank Mr. Herb Lebovits of Memphis for his friendship and wealth of knowledge. His assistance helped create a most memorable trip for everyone.

By Barry Wein