GOODFELLOW BROS.: Building Community One Wish at a Time

Wish kid Cru of Kahului was diagnosed with an aggressive form of eye cancer when he was just a baby. His condition caused him to endure countless hospital visits, medications, and a year of chemotherapy to try and save his vision. During his battle Cru was given the chance to think of his most heartfelt wish and without hesitation, he wished to go to Walt Disney World®.

The wish gave him something exciting to look forward to, a welcome distraction from the procedures and pokes he had endured. Thanks to the power of a wish, Cru was able to replace fear with confidence, sadness with joy, and anxiety with hope. He was able to imagine life beyond illness and dream about a brighter future.

Cru’s wish reveal celebration took his breath away! In addition to all things Disney, Cru also loves trucks and heavy equipment—so imagine his surprise and excitement when more than a dozen community partners (including police officers and firefighters) led by Wish Sponsor Goodfellow Bros., zoomed by to let him know he’d soon be going to Disney.

“We heard about his love of ‘big trucks’ and excavators—and it made the wish reveal so special because Goodfellow Bros. could play a role, along with all the other businesses that came together. It was such an inspiring day and showcased the remarkable spirit of the Maui community,” says Chelsea Goodfellow.

CEO Chad Goodfellow and sister Chelsea were born and raised on Maui, and they draw comparisons between the company’s humble beginnings in the agricultural community of Wenatchee, WA, to the beautiful Hawaiian Islands. Both hold a similar feeling of community for this fourth-generation, family-owned business with a century of experience in the construction industry.

“There are many similarities between Wenatchee and Hawaii— everyone helps everyone. When apple season rolls around, everyone comes together to help harvest—so if someone is having a tough time you help each other out. Hawaii has that same culture and willingness to look after each other. There’s a responsibility that comes with living in Hawaii, to be there for the community and help others,” says Chad Goodfellow.

When battling critical illnesses, children face fear and uncertainty as they work toward recovery. Through the power of a wish, and comfort from those who care, a strong foundation is constructed to help keiki fight harder against illness and reclaim their childhood. And thanks to companies like Goodfellow Bros., that foundation is elevated by a community who cares.

“When people are going through tough times, to be able to have that exceptional day that is just for them, when so much of their life can feel out of their control, is an extraordinary privilege that has a profound impact. Being part of a compassionate community that gives back in this way is truly rewarding,” says Chad Goodfellow.

This was the case when the Goodfellow Bros. team, leaders in the heavy-civil construction industry, stepped in to make four wishes come true. Goodfellow started as a Make-A-Wish Hawaii event sponsor and have grown to also support the wishes of waiting keiki. In addition to Cru’s wish, the company has sponsored two others on Maui and one on Oahu. Their mainland operations are also involved in Make-A-Wish.

The generous support of Goodfellow Bros. reaffirms that wishes are powerful medicine that offer hope and strength. And this sibling duo, Chad and Chelsea, also have dreams of granting more wishes—possibly on each island—in the future.