Make-A-Wish Ball Opens South Florida Charity Season With Focus on Children and Families

Celebrities, philanthropists and community supporters gathered Saturday night for the 31st annual InterContinental Miami Make-A-Wish Ball, opening South Florida’s charity season with an evening focused on children facing critical illnesses. The event combined fundraising with entertainment while highlighting the families whose wishes have been fulfilled through Make-A-Wish Southern Florida.

A crystal castle theme gave the gala a frozen fantasy setting inspired by the Gilded Age. InterContinental Miami General Manager Glenn Sampert described the ball as an occasion anticipated throughout the year. Shareef Malik, who co-chaired the event alongside Gabrielle Anwar, said the children remained his motivation, adding that bringing a smile to another child never loses its meaning.

The previous year’s ball raised $3 million and paid for 300 wishes for children in South Florida. Over the past three decades, Make-A-Wish Southern Florida has fulfilled more than 9,000 wishes for children with critical illnesses and raised more than $50 million with support from InterContinental Miami.

Norman Wedderburn, the organization’s president and CEO, said charitable giving is woven into South Florida’s culture. He pointed to the contributions of more than 700 volunteers and said the gala demonstrated how supporters could enjoy themselves while helping others. The gathering, he said, brought together people willing to share their time and generosity.

Members of the 7News team were also part of that community of supporters, including Lynn Martinez, Craig Stevens, Belkys Nerey and Alex de Armas. De Armas, a 7News Today in Florida anchor who also serves as a wish granter, said her work allows her to see the impact on families directly. She described the event’s connection to the local community as central to its significance.

For attendee Ryan Docobo, that impact was personal. Two of his children have had wishes granted, and he attended the gala to explain what those experiences mean for both children and their families. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to help his children realize two very different wishes.

Docobo recalled a trip to North Carolina taken to honor his son Ethan and say goodbye as the family knew he would eventually die. He described the experience as deeply meaningful and credited a Make-A-Wish donor with making it possible. That supporter, he said, might never have understood how much the trip meant to his family.

The fundraising evening concluded with an exclusive concert by Kelly Clarkson, who performed some of her biggest hits. Throughout the gala, supporters and families emphasized the significance of wishes for children living with critical illnesses and the loved ones sharing those experiences.