Thrillseeker Ari's new lease on life
Ari came back from the slopes of Mount Hotham with new-found skiing skills and a fresh outlook on life.
Ski jumps aplenty for snow wish
Little Ari’s world has opened up after his wish to visit the snow.
Ari ticked off many things and grew in confidence every minute he was on the slopes.
Born with congenital muscular dystrophy, wheelchair-bound Ari wanted to try it all after some tips from Disabled Wintersport Australia.
The 9-year-old accomplished everything from ski jumps to rolling in the snow.
“The wish taught him that things aren't beyond reach,” Ari’s dad Zy said.
“It's given him a new lease on ideas. So, what was once impossible, probably now is possible.
“That is the way he's looking at it.”
'There was no stopping him'
Zy said he could see Ari’s aspirations grow, and boundaries extend, during the wish trip.
“There was no stopping him and that has continued today,” Zy said.
“He wants to know how we do something that otherwise he would have thought was unachievable.
“I think the wish just opened up his world.”
Parents see a change in their brave boy
Ari’s new sense of purpose and drive has been shared with everyone in his life.
“He's come back with a new level of confidence where he wants to tell all his friends what he's done and tell them what he can do next,” Zy said.
“He literally wants to tackle the world and it's kind of cool to see that he's now got that ability and that drive to go and do it.
“This is stuff that we haven't seen before.”
Ari’s mum Bri said the wish trip was not only a great experience for the whole family but also provided lots of learnings.
“It was a good learning curve for us that really there's no limitations there now,” she said.
