Milwaukee teen gets opportunity to build computer as Make-A-Wish kid

 

WAUWATOSA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Make-A-Wish Wisconsin says its waiting list is longer than it's ever been right now because of the pandemic. 

One 16-year-old has waited months for his wish to come true. Friday, June 18, he got all the parts to a computer and his own personal tech to help him build it. 

At Tech Lab in Wauwatosa, Nicholas Lopez spent the day eating his favorite dessert, pumpkin pie, and building his new computer. 

Piece by piece, he learned everything about his new computer. 

His wish wasn't just to receive a new, fast computer, but to build it himself, and Make-A-Wish Wisconsin made that happen. 

"I can play all the games at the speed I couldn't before," said Lopez. 

He didn't have many words when he walked in. 

"I've been speechless for like, forever now," he said. 

Waiting for him was a table filled with top-of-the-line tech gadgets, some he picked out for himself and some of them a surprise. 

He spends a lot of time on his computer.

"A good portion of my day," he said. And he wants to make it his future. "I have a lot of dreams, computers, editing YouTube, maybe game designing." 

His mom says he lights up whenever he talks about computers and video games. 

"With him having medical issues and physical limitations, he starts looking at 'what am I going to do in the future' and gaming seems to be one of the things he enjoys the most," said Lindsay Lopez, Nicholas' mother. 

At three years old, Nicholas was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. It's a rare genetic disease that causes progressive muscle weakness. 

"There is quite a bit of doctors appointments and visits and medical equipment," said Lindsay Lopez. "He just takes it all in stride." 

Now, because of Make-A-Wish Wisconsin, he has one less thing to worry about on the road to pursuing his dreams. 

"It's so important that we get to know the child," said Forrest Doolen. "All the way down to their favorite dessert, their favorite color, their favorite games." 

Friday, Nicholas had his favorite dessert, pumpkin pie, and then got to building his new computer.