BALTIMORE — Princeton Tyler is a 7-year-old who loves to play and has lots of energy; he is also autistic and has a nervous system disorder, so he is nonverbal.
So when his mother, Carl Dina Tyler, applied for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, she didn’t have an idea of what the family wanted, but she knew it wouldn’t be a vacation.
“A trip is not the best idea then; when we go out to certain places, he is ready to leave after ten minutes because he is overstimulated. I was like, let’s just see if they can do something fun for the house," says Carl Dina Tyler.
That is exactly what Make-A-Wish did; with the help of the Whiting Turner Contracting Company, the foundation transformed the Tyler family’s basement into a sensory playroom for Princeton.
“They just needed a very safe place for him to play and to let out his energy and be a normal seven-year-old boy," says Lesli Creedon, CEO of Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic.
Monday, the Tyler family cut a ribbon hanging across the basement door, officially opening up the new play area.
“Seeing Princeton run in that playroom and use the slide and enjoy all of the adaptive equipment that was built custom for him and for his needs, I have to tell you it's a real privilege to be able to do something like that for him, and I think it brings our staff, all of our volunteers, and partners like Whiting Turner as much joy as it does the wish child," says Creedon.
The Tyler family says they love the new space; Princeton’s sister, Skyler, even gave up her space in the basement for her little brother.
“Honestly, I was here before him, and I had a lot of experiences when I was young, and I just wanted to see my little brother happy, so I gave him my makeup room," says Skyler.
Leslie Tyler, Princeton’s dad, says he is just happy to have a space for his son to play.
“This is highly recommended because now my son does not jump on the furniture as much; he stays down here and plays all day until he is tired. So I highly recommend it and make a wish I love them, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart," he says.
Now Princeton can jump, climb, run, and play as much as he wants, and his parents can find comfort in knowing he is safe.
In 2023 Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic granted 376 wishes, 256 in Maryland.
The foundation currently has 130 children in the Baltimore area waiting for a wish.
