A Wish Come True

Henry onboard New Orleans streetcar no. 952

Couple of months ago, we got an inquiry from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, on behalf of a young man from Massachusetts who loves streetcars. Eleven-year old Henry Mulvey was very specific about his wish: he wanted to ride New Orleans “Desire” car No. 952.
Last week, Muni and Market Street Railway teamed up to make Henry’s wish come true, and then some. Here’s the San Jose Mercury-News account, and what we heard back from Tiffany O’Malley of the Make-A-Wish Foundation today:

“On behalf of the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation®, I’d like to say thank you to everyone involved who made Henry’s wish a reality.

“As many of you saw, Henry was so excited to have his wish to ride as many trolleys as possible come true. The private ride to and from the Maintenance Barn on the #952 was a huge surprise and a complete thrill for Henry as it was the longest trolley ride he has ever been on and, at one point, the fastest he has ever ridden on a trolley (I never knew they could go that fast!). From touring San Francisco’s Maintenance Barn and Railway Museum to Henry’s day in San Jose, each part of Henry’s trip was perfect.

“The family was truly touched by the remarkable efforts of everyone involved and couldn’t believe how many people came up to Henry with gift bags full of trolley paraphernalia and well wishes. Henry’s mom was particularly impressed by the kindness of the trolley operators who assisted her each time Henry boarded a new trolley. She told Make-A-Wish that it was a pleasure to have so many people who were happy to help Henry, and it gave her hope that public transportation services nationwide would follow San Francisco’s lead and adopt such a welcoming attitude when assisting handicapped riders.

“Your generous contribution of time, energy and heart brought a smile to Henry’s face and provided a wonderful family with countless memories that they will treasure for a lifetime.  Each of you has truly made a difference in lives of Henry and his family.”

We at Market Street Railway are delighted to have played a part in helping Henry’s wish come true. We salute the leadership of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, specifically Board Chair Tom Nolan, for his personal interest and involvement in making Henry’s dream a reality. We hope Henry remembers his visit to the F-line and our San Francisco Railway Museum for many years to come.