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NORTH CAROLINA WISH KID LIVES “AMERICAN IDOL” DREAM
Make-A-Wish Foundation® Grants 11-Year-Old Girl’s Wish to See Clay Aiken Perform Live on Hit TV Show

PHOENIX (June 12, 2003) – While viewers around the country tuned in to “American Idol” May 18 to see if their favorite performer triumphed on the top-rated TV show, finalist Clay Aiken was already a star for a special wish kid from his hometown of Raleigh, N.C., who received her wish to see him sing live.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Eastern North Carolina arranged for Camille Walton and her family to fly to Los Angeles to see Aiken, her favorite performer and former camp counselor, sing as a finalist on “American Idol.” On May 17, 11-year-old Camille, along with her parents and two younger brothers, was in the audience as Aiken performed for the “American Idol” title during the show’s final competition. After singing live for a viewing audience of millions, Aiken met one-on-one with Camille, who enjoyed backstage passes and a tour of Aiken’s dressing room, where the two chatted and posed for photos.

Camille says her experience was better than she ever dreamed. “It was so neat to see Clay singing in person,” says Camille. “He sounded great, and he looks cool with his new haircut!”

Like many young girls around the country, 11-year-old Camille is no stranger to “Clay mania.” But unlike other girls, Camille bravely lives with a seizure disorder and diabetes – serious medical conditions that qualified her to receive a wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

This was not Camille’s first time to meet the 24-year-old singing sensation she describes as her favorite performer, she quickly points out. Long before he was a cover story and household name, Aiken was Camille’s summer camp director at the AE Finley YMCA in Raleigh. “His camp name was ‘Gonzo,’” Camille says cheerfully.

Aiken has long been committed to working with kids with special needs, according to a recent interview in The Charlotte Observer. Originally scheduled to graduate this month with a degree in special education from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC), Aiken headed the UNCC Council of Exceptional Children, in addition to his many summers as a camp counselor at the YMCA. Those experiences, as well as his work with autistic students, inspired Aiken to help children with special needs.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. It is the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 76 chapters in the United States and its territories and 27 international affiliates on five continents. With the help of generous donors and more than 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted more than 110,000 wishes to children around the world since 1980. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit www.wish.org.

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Thanks to YouStopRightNow for the Freckle Blend
"The visible higher purpose for celebrity is to create awareness for issues that
need a voice. I'm just doing what I always planned on doing, teaching and
helping children with developmental disabilities" - Clay Aiken