Behind The Wish: Michael Ponticello

Meet Michael Ponticello, a former wish kid who is now a Make-A-Wish volunteer.

Michael yearned to be a professional tennis player and while that dream slipped away, his wish to meet Roger Federer didn't, thank to Make-A-Wish.

Behind The Wish is our series of inspirational reads diving into the everyday superheroes involved in creating life-changing wishes.

Michael's grandfather helps him through tough times

There were definitely signs something was wrong. I was sick with head colds, and gastro bugs, frequently when I was in primary school and early high school.

I was quite a skinny kid who didn’t eat that much, so we just thought it was diet-related. As time passed, I got sick more frequently.

I remember the end of 2014, I went to the Gold Coast with my family and leading up to it, I felt something was wrong, it didn’t feel like a typical flu or gastro. I wasn’t eating anything on the Gold Coast, I was very lethargic which put a dampener on the whole trip.

When we came back to NSW, I was OK for a bit, then on New Year’s Eve 2014, I got extremely sick and I couldn’t keep food down. I was dehydrated and vomiting constantly. It wasn’t actually the typical signs of leukaemia – they are bruising and low blood counts. There was no real bruising on my body. Just symptoms of flu or a gastro bug.

I went to the hospital where they did some tests, and they came back saying they reckon I have acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

And away we went; we started treatment. I was 10, almost 11.

It was tough for my family. My mum took six months off work to be my full-time carer while I was in hospital a lot and then my dad took the following six months off. And while I was at home more then, whenever I got a fever, I had to go straight into hospital, just in case there was anything seriously wrong.

It was tough, especially because my mum didn’t drive. So my grandfather took us everywhere, including whenever we needed to go to the hospital.

Whenever I needed treatment, he would be our driver. Without him, I am not too sure we could have done it. My mum would have had to take taxis and Ubers and potentially public transport, which is not that good an option for a kid that’s sick.

Or my dad would have had to take time off work and that affects the income our family relies on.

My grandfather (pictured) was our saviour. He is alive today but not well. My mum said to me the other day that he was the one that drove you around for six to nine months and bought you food.

It's sort of like the roles have reversed. The dementia he is fighting. I try and visit him and my grandmother as much as I can. I love my grandparents.

But it’s also respect, he looked after me when I was little and now I’m repaying the favour.

I am close with all my grandparents. All of them are my biggest fans. I remember when I was on Channel 9 News a couple of times last year, both my grandfathers were thrilled to see me on TV. It was a good moment for them.

Seizure throws a spanner in the works

Getting sick also affected my brother, he was only 7 at the time. I mean looking at it through his eyes, he’s got his older brother in hospital with his mum being away half the time.

I was actually in remission about six weeks from being diagnosed. But you had to keep going with the chemotherapy treatment. For six months it was intense, the next six months slightly less intense, and then six months oral chemo tablets at home.

I suffered epilepsy, so I had to take more drugs than most would.

I think the lowest point for me was when I had my epileptic seizure. I had to have blood thinning needles for six months. Twice a day my mum had to stick a needle in my thigh. There was a blood clot caused by one of the drugs which led to a stroke and then the seizure. That was the lowest point because I had to go on anti-epilepsy medication. I felt very helpless.

I was lucky I had the seizure in a hospital and not in a car. If I had the seizure in the car, I might not have pulled through. But it was in a hospital with doctors who could fix what was going on.

I just started playing tennis the year before and I couldn’t play, so that was frustrating.

My main motivation at that time was not to go into a wheelchair, which a lot of people do, but I made sure I didn’t do that.

I tried to walk as much as I could. I remember my dad even encouraging me to take the fire stairs instead of the lift at the hospital. Just to get more exercise and so my endurance wasn’t completely destroyed.

Michael meets hero and world no 1 tennis player

I remember speaking to my mum at the end of 2015 and I asked, ‘Am I eligible for a Make-A-Wish?’. I wasn’t sure if I was. She said, ‘I think you are, let’s do some research’.

She asked me, ‘What do you want?’ and what my wish was going to be was always clear in my mind. It was to meet Roger Federer. He was my hero and I would watch his matches as much as I could, when my health would allow it and when they weren’t behind a paywall.

At the end of 2015, probably a couple of days after Christmas, two Make-A-Wish volunteers – one of them Julie Corkery, who I am in the same Branch with now – came to my house and knocked on my door.

I was surprised. I looked through the fly-wire screen and said, ‘Hi. What are you doing at our house?’ I didn’t open the door at first.

And my mum is like, ‘Are you going to let them in?’ so I let them in.

They came in and handed me some Nike gear that Roger was wearing at the time. And a booklet about my wish. And a tennis racquet, not just any racquet. It was probably worth $350 at the time.

They said, ‘Roger will be in Brisbane next week and he would love to meet and chat’.

They said they had organised flights and accommodation and a limo to and from our hotel.

I could not believe it. I just couldn’t fathom it. Watching this guy on TV play Wimbledon, the French Open, America, Shanghai everywhere. I couldn’t believe an 11-year-old going on 12 was going to meet one of the best players in the history of the sport.

He has got that aura like the great ones: Nadal, Messi, Usain Bolt, LeBron James.

It was a dream come true.

When I met him I didn’t say much. It was just like wow, it’s really him. He’s right in front of me. The wish happened in the hallway of the Brisbane Tennis Centre. There were so many pros walking past.

I asked Roger to sign some things. He signed booklets, a can of tennis balls, a headband and the racquet. I still haven’t used the racquet.

My brother always gives me a bit of grief, but the first thing Roger did was shake my brother’s hand first. And then he said to me when he saw me with the tennis gear on, ‘It’s mini-me’.

The only real question I asked him was, ‘Do you get treated like a god in your home country Switzerland?’

He said people notice him but it’s nothing too crazy.

In hindsight if I had my time over again, as a journalist now, the amount of questions I could ask!

I have a dream that I would love to meet him on the 10th anniversary of the wish – in 2026 – and have a proper chat with him.

The whole wish was about forgetting my sickness for that time. Forgetting about all the negative moments up to that time. And just focusing on meeting one of the most famous athletes of all time.

Almost a year before that, I had almost died from a seizure. You go from that extreme low to the euphoric high.

I was starstruck.

Michael is on track to be a top sports broadcaster

The wish solidified. I spoke at an event a couple of weeks ago, a trivia night, and the wish solidified my desire to be either a pro tennis player or a sports journalist.

The first one is bloody hard! So much has to go right. You have to have some help. And you have to be dedicated, training six or seven days a week.

I reckon when I was 16, when I saw Carlos Alcaraz win a game on the pro circuit at the same age as me. He won a match in Rio, when I believe he was 16. I thought, 'If there is a guy doing this at 16, then I have no hope of getting there'.

I knew I couldn’t do that, so my next best thing was to follow my other hero, (sports caller) Ray ‘Rabs’ Warren. I thought if I can’t play sport, I’ll call it. You are still part of the moment. You are the guy with the voice who takes people to the occasion. It’s so cool, your voice is attached to the moment for the rest of time.

I have been doing some calling of Penrith games and as a caller, I am good at that. I am confident of my ability to be good at that. If I keep doing what I am doing and keep the same passion and don’t get any ego, I can definitely be one of the better and versatile broadcasters in Australia. I can get there.

I have had conversations with Rabs and he has given me advice and every bit of advice, I use. This year I have taken every bit of advice from a range of guys – including Ben Fordham who I work for – and I am improving every day. He gave me my chance when I was younger.

I am producing for Ben, doing the night editing for him, lining up interviews for him, and doing some scripts. As well as the footy calling at Penrith, I have also had some experience hosting kids’ parties. And of course volunteering and ambassadorial work for Make-A-Wish.

In 'full circle moment', Michael joins as a volunteer

I have been helped by so many different people – doctors, nurses, media professionals – so I thought the best way to give back would be to help the charity that gave me my biggest dream and that’s Make-A-Wish.

That was a massive dream come true. I thought, 'What better way to give back than do that full circle moment and grant other kids their wishes?'

I was part of a wish early in the year where they brought a kid overseas to Sydney to meet the Australian Cricket Team.

But my first one where I went to the Wish Capture, is in the process of being made. He has cystic fibrosis and he loves his ice and watersports.


My first Make-A-Wish Ambassador speaking event was just after my wish. Then COVID happened so there was a gap. I’ve done some speaking engagements this year.

One of my good mates from school, Bradley, and I, will climb Mount Kosciuszko in November to raise money for Make-A-Wish. I texted him a couple of months ago and asked if he would climb Mount Kosciuszko to raise money and he said, ‘Done’. We hope we can raise some good money doing the climb.

Bradley is a good bloke. He wants to give back as well, he’s had his own health dramas.

I haven’t done any mountain climbing and I don’t think he has. The closest thing I have done is the City to Surf a few years ago.

Whenever I can, I always try and give back. To my family, doctors, nurses, Make-A-Wish.

'Want to make it the best wish it can be'

My lock screen on my phone is still that photo of Federer and I. It’s been eight years since the wish and the impact has been everlasting.

Make-A-Wish has given me an avenue to speak about my story, and try and encourage donations. Every time I see something about a wish on social media, I read it or watch it if it’s a video. I always say to myself, ‘That’s unreal’. I always remember being in that same situation myself.

I will be affiliated with Make-A-Wish for most likely my whole life. I would love to speak at as many events as I can and talk about the impact of wishes. I want kids to know that if you do get a life-threatening illness, that you can still thrive in life.

It’s almost like when you are a little kid you make a wish when a shooting star goes by. This is the closest thing there is to that. We grant wishes, you meet celebrities, you go on a family holiday you never thought was possible, you get a new backyard, you get a puppy.

It’s unbelievable to see so many thousands of wishes granted. And I hope I can be a part of that and grant some wishes along the way.

My first Wish Capture and being able to listen to someone’s story, it truly did remind me of me and my family. We were so grateful for the volunteers' time. I felt a real high, it was great to see the look on his face. It was fantastic to see he and the family be so excited. He knew what he wanted so quickly, not all kids do.

This kid knew what he wanted and he’s going to love it. The main thing is to go to The Great Barrier Reef.

I remember his family saying it’s hard to go on holidays because of the little boy’s illness. I will be checking in soon to see how they are travelling. Hopefully it’s all finalised for summer.

I love how the volunteers send items in the lead-up to the wish, the Anticipation phase. It's so so cool to see that. I remember in one of our Branch meetings, one of our kids got a small present for the Anticipation and thought that was the wish.

When you go through a childhood illness that almost kills you, I think you appreciate life more. I have had adversity where people may not have given me a fair go at work or school, where I was bullied. So everything I do at the moment is a bonus.

If I had died when I was 11 from cancer or the seizure, I wouldn't be able to do the things I do today. Whenever I have a bad day, I think, 'I could be dead right now but I’m not'.

Every wish is important to me. Even the overseas wish this year, where the boy came to Australia to meet the cricket team, the child was a bit shy. So I was trying to get him involved without, obviously, pushing him too much. I remember when I was in that same position. It’s always better when you have been a wish kid yourself. If you have been that person, you can share some insight.

I saw all the lengths our volunteers went to. Man, that racquet was the one I wanted. It wasn’t cheap. And they got all the top shelf Nike gear. And they got the limo and the great accommodation. They didn’t need to do every little thing. There could have been excuses but they made it happen. That’s what I want to do.

I will always want to get the wish done as quickly as possible and make it the best wish it can be.

Michael has been a proud volunteer since 2023