Make-A-Wish grants Bryan boy and leukemia survivor’s dream of a play fort

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) -Aldon Melton, a six-year-old boy from Bryan who is currently recovering from leukemia, had his wish granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation and generous community partners.

Despite battling leukemia, those close to Aldon say his spirits have always remained high.

Aldon, full of energy and armed with an imagination out of this world, always dreamed of having his very own play fort, and Sunday his dream came true.

Several years ago he drew and designed his dream fort and from that vision, the Make-A-Wish Foundation went to work on the fort.

His new Avengers-themed fort features a slide, a rope swing, a wall adorned with posters of his favorite superheroes, and even a refrigerator for his snacks. The fort also features a special wall to showcase his new and massive collection of NERF toys.

Aldon’s mother, Amanda Melton, expressed her joy at seeing her son’s drawing come to life.

“For him to see what he drew on paper, just, you know, a little kid drawing,” Amanda said.

On Sunday, Aldon eagerly cut the ribbon on his play fort, which now stands in their backyard. The journey to this point has been challenging for Aldon and his family, as he battled with his health challenges.

“He spent about three years traveling back and forth to Houston for his treatment which you know took a lot of time away from our family and a lot of time away from home,” Amanda said.

Amanda expressed her gratitude to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and its community sponsors for making Aldon’s dream a reality.

“An actual fort in the backyard, something that he can call his own, has just been a blessing. He’s so excited, so excited to just have a place to call his own and to terrorize the backyard,” Amanda said.

Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana, one of the 59 chapters across the U.S. aims to double the number of wishes granted annually by 2025.

The Builders of Hope committee, which includes Miller LaPoint and Powers Brown, played a significant role in granting Aldon’s wish. This committee, formed in 2022 due to an increase in wishes for backyard playsets and home improvements, partners with Make-A-Wish to bring these dreams to life. Their collective efforts have made a cumulative impact of over $220,000.

Aldon’s play fort represents the 11th wish granted by the Builders of Hope in the past year.

For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation and how to support its mission, please visit

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