Throughout December, WTOP is bringing you 鈥�Wish Wednesday,鈥� where we spotlight what Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic does for families in D.C., Virginia and Maryland. If you would like to help make a wish kid鈥檚 dream come true, please visit the foundation鈥檚聽.
Have you ever heard the old saying about never meeting your hero? A lot of people believe they will let you down.
Someone who disagrees with that statement is an 11-year-old gymnast from Frederick, Maryland.
During a Make-A-Wish visit at WTOP, Haley Gibson explained why meeting her hero, Simone Biles, caused her to flip out.
鈥淪he did the opposite of disappointing me. She lightened me. She helped me through the struggles I was going through, and just made me feel so much better,鈥� Haley said. 鈥淪he was really sweet. She listened, she gave good answers. She was patient.鈥�
Haley, who started in gymnastics at the age of two, said Biles has always been her idol.
鈥淪o when I got to meet her, I just happened to be going to a camp,鈥� Haley said. 鈥淚t was even more special.鈥�
Sitting and watching Haley be interviewed about that special day was her biggest fan and mom, Lisa Gibson.
Along with Haley, her mother, father and her two sisters also met Biles.
鈥淪he was so down to earth and so nice. I mean, you wouldn’t have even known that she was this big celebrity,鈥� Lisa said. 鈥淵ou have been such an inspiration to her and to our family.鈥�
The meeting will be something Haley will never forget.
鈥淚t was just so exciting, because I think my brain was just like, ‘Oh, my God, she’s really here,’鈥� Haley said.
Shortly after Haley was born, she was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, as was one of her sisters.
鈥淐ystic fibrosis is a lung disease that can affect the breathing,鈥� Haley said. 鈥淪o you have to do treatments and take lots of medicine, and it’s very hard and sometimes scary.鈥�
Lisa said seeing the light in Haley’s eyes as her daughter and Biles spoke brought her the joy she needed.
鈥淪he’s been through so much being a military family, you move a lot. Then you add on CF, and you just add on being in middle school 鈥� all these things, and she just takes it like a champ,鈥� Haley’s mother said.
As soon as Haley returned from her Wish, she asked her mom how she could help Make-A-Wish, since they had helped her.
What will the future hold in store for the sixth grader?
Don鈥檛 worry, she already has it planned out.
鈥淕o to the Olympics and be an inspiration for other people,鈥� Haley said.
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