Girl with rare autoimmune conditions gets Las Vegas staycation wish
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A cheering crowd of people holding signs wishing a happy 10th birthday greeted the girl at the entrance to Resorts World’s swanky Crockfords lobby.
It was a greeting befitting what was in store for Harli Hecht as representatives from Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada and Resorts World welcomed her, fulfilling her wish with a planned five days of experiences that they’re calling Harli’s Time of Her Life.
The Time of Her Life includes a five-day staycation at Resorts World with a range of experiences including a movie night, a David Blaine magic show, a visit to the Rooftop Igloo Experience, a makeover, a pizza-making event and a night at Enchant, a holiday light attraction at Resorts World.
“It means a lot because I finally get to do stuff that normal kids do,” said Harli, who suffers from rare respiratory and rheumatology disorders.
After leaving the lobby, Harli and her family took the elevator the 62nd floor, where they were taken to the their temporary home for the next five days — a two-bedroom suite, filled with balloons and decor themed after “The Simpsons,” the 10-year-old’s favorite show.
“I love ‘The Simpsons’!” she said. “It’s something that soothes me when I’m upset or don’t feel good.”
Her first wish was to have her own character animated and voiced by her on the show. But when Make-A-Wish wasn’t able to make that happen, she asked to have a party with other sick children like herself, then just wear a fancy dress and go out to the movies. Make-A-Wish and Resorts World then came up with the Time of Her Life experience.
‘It means everything’
Hecht happily explored the suite with her sister on Tuesday, staying away from the windows because of her fear of heights, as their mother, Brandi Hecht, 35, and family friend, Lex Badia, 34, fought back tears.
“It means everything,” Brandi Hecht said. “Harli has had such a long fight and her fight is not over. But if anybody deserves this, it’s her.”
Harli contracted multi-system inflammatory syndrome after she caught COVID-19. That progressed into pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections, which cause her immune system to periodically attack her brain.
The condition can be so debilitating that at times she couldn’t get off of the couch and has meant that her mother and Badia must strive to ensure that she does not get emotionally or mentally overwhelmed.
Harli endured this after losing her grandmother, with whom she used to watch “The Simpsons,” to COVID-19.
Brandi Hecht said that the loss and continued disability also left Harli, and other family members, dealing with multiple bouts of depression.
“It’s literally cheering her on at all times. And the second you drop that pompom of being the cheerleader, she drops,” Brandi Hecht said. “She’s definitely been looking forward to this. I will tell you that that has been her ‘fighting go’ for the last two weeks.”
Major milestone
Harli Hecht’s wish experience also marked Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada’s 2,500th wish granted.
“I will tell you that every wish impacts my heart and my soul,” said Scott Rosenzweig, 58, CEO of Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada. “But to know that we’ve hit a milestone like the 2,500th lets us know that we’re doing our job basically.”
Rosenzweig credited his team and Resorts World for organizing Harli’s experience. The casinos that partner with Make-A-Wish are great to work with, he said. Harli, for instance, is the fourth child to receive a wish from Resorts World.
“They’re already partners in the fold, but this one particularly was one that we just knew Resorts World could knock out of the park,” Rosenzweig said.
Lori Calderon, Resorts World’s executive director of community engagement, reciprocated with praise for Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada. She said that the organization is very well-organized, but more importantly, that those involved are passionate about their work.
Calderon said that she and her team used that passion as inspiration to build the experience for Harli and her family.
She helped organize all four of Resorts World’s collaborations with Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada and said that she has stayed in contact with every family after their experience ended.
Her favorite part of the experiences are the families’ reactions, Calderon said.
“Take all of the noise aside, the most important thing is that the experience should be something that the family remembers forever,” she said. “And that’s the most important, the biggest focus.”
While enjoying the attention and the experience, Harli expressed a bit of mixed emotions.
“The first thing (Harli) said was ‘I feel like a celebrity, but I don’t like feeling this special because other kids don’t get to feel this special.’ That’s what she said in the car on the way here,” Brandi Hecht said.
