Tom Wilson is doing something special for 20 Make-A-Wish Kids and their families this season. The 24-year-old winger has developed a program called “Forty Three’s Friends” over the offseason. He’ll be donating free tickets to Capitals games through Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic, which helps enrich the lives of critically ill children.
The kids will get a chance to watch the Capitals play in Capital One Arena, and then come down to the locker room for a tour with Wilson, providing a fun experience as they wait for their wishes to be fulfilled.
“Kids have the right to have a great childhood,” Wilson said. “Whatever I can do to help out with that is something that’s always hit close to home for me.”
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Wilson has done similar work with kids before. He raised money for the SickKids Foundation on his day with the Stanley Cup, read books at a pre-K center that provides childcare to homeless families, and most recently delivered laptops to an elementary school as part of his work for the So Kids Can charity, which he joined in 2017.
“DC’s become a second place to me, a second home for me,” Wilson said. “And whatever the Caps can do, and whatever I can do—whether it’s little, or something big—it goes a long way.”
We're so thankful to @tom_wilso for starting this amazing program. He has created an opportunity that will give our wish kids something to look forward to and will offer them hope as they face their battles. Thank you, Tom, for being a friend to our wish kids! #CapsCare #ALLCAPS
— Make-A-Wish Mid-Atl (@WishMidAtlantic) November 26, 2018
The Capitals players do a lot of work within their communities. Braden Holtby and Nicklas Backstrom are also part of the So Kids Can charity created by ex-Capital Mike Green, and team captain Alex Ovechkin has supported the American Special Hockey Association with donations, skates, and free tickets through the Ovi’s Crazy 8s program, which he started in 2006.
Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic is accepting donations to help even more kids’ wishes come true.
Headline photo: Capitals
