There was not a dry eye in sight on this morning’s episode of The View. Even Whoopi Goldberg and Sara Haines were crying when they helped pull off the ultimate Make-a-Wish surprise for Mya Jackson, a 15-year-old girl who suffers from NF2 — which is a rare disease that causes tumors to grow on the brain and spine.
Doctors first found a tumor in Jackson’s brain when she was six months old. Her parents said she has done 87 chemotherapy treatments to this day, and has undergone three (soon to be four) brain surgeries.
“I just hope to live a happy and healthy life with no more going places to be operated on, getting cut up and then stitched back up,” Jackson said a video clip, adding, “It’s hard in the sense that nobody knows what’s going to happen next. But I’m alive. I’m standing.”
Jackson and her mom, Tanya Lamarche, joined Goldberg and Haines in The View studio, where the longtime moderator brought up Jackson’s love of Disney’s The Descendants.
“I understand you’re a huge fan of The Descendants and you already know that I was Ursula in The Descendants,” Goldberg said. “I heard that you’ve seen The Descendants movies a gazillion times and your favorite actress is singer Sofia Carson, who plays Evie.”
Jackson then explained why she’s such a big fan of Carson, telling the co-hosts, “I love Sofia Carson because she teaches me every day to be happy. I watch her videos of her morning routines and I find that no matter what the day brings her, she’s always happy.”
What happened next sparked the waterworks for everyone. Goldberg told the audience that Disney, ABC’s parent company, was a longtime partner of the Make-a-Wish Foundation.”Today, we want to make a wish come true for you. This is for you. Please welcome Sofia Carson,” she said as Carson walked out on the stage an hugged an emotional Jackson.
Everyone on stage, from Lamarche to Haines, teared up over the surprise. “You with the wet face. I can’t take it,” Goldberg said as she shoved a tissue into Haines’ face.
“I think there are few more important things in the world than the privilege to make Jackson smile,” Carson said. “To be able to be your wish is one of the greatest honors of my life. You are my hero — and everyone here’s hero.”
Even Goldberg struggled to close out the segment as she became choked up.
“For more information on the magic …” she began as she attempted to hold her tears back, “on making wishes come true, head to Wish.org/Disney. We’ll be right back.”
The View airs on weekdays at 11/10c on ABC.
