Dream Come True! Beautiful Ball Raises Nearly $2M for Make-A-Wish

Daniel Ortiz and Jacob Power

Alejandra and Edgar Rincon. Patty and Karl Schmidt

ONE OF THE most feel-good fetes of the year, the 2025 Make-A-Wish Gala once again broke records, raising a whopping $1.8 million for the Gulf Coast and Louisiana chapter of the organization.

The Wish Ball was this year themed The Hero Within, and the ballroom of The Post Oak Hotel was transformed with “galactic, hero-inspired florals” on each table. The night included a surprise appearance by Batman, who pulled into the valet in the Batmobile, much to the delight of “Wish Kid” Adonis, who wished to meet the character in real life.

There were also raffles, pulls and auctions: A beautiful ring from Kim Chau & Co. was raffled off, and guests purchased surprise bags of spirits and jewels. During the live auction and paddles-up portion of the evening, many supported Aria, whose wish to plant 1,000 trees was completed in the ballroom during the event by granting the last 100 trees. A live-painted canvas by Edgar Medina and a mini poodle puppy were popular, too.

Shelly Millwee, President and CEO, said, “What an extraordinary and magical night for Make-A-Wish. The generous funds raised from our event will help grant many wishes and bring joy and hope to more local children facing unimaginable illnesses. We appreciate all our supporters who helped make this evening a tremendous success.”