Charlotte Wishes to Roll with her Heroes
From shredding at the skatepark to kickflips in the arena, Charlotte wishes to hang out with her favourite skateboarders.
We had an AMAZING time! The MAW volunteers were so kind and lovely. The team at SLS were phenomenal and just continued to exceed what we could have even imagined happening for Charlotte.
Carrie, Charlotte's Mum
She Shreds
For 14-year-old Charlotte, skateboarding is more than just kicking, pushing and coasting – it's a daily ritual that takes her mind off things and offers freedom, even as she manages life with cystic fibrosis. She's also close to nailing a kickflip!
Ever since she first hopped on her penny board as a young girl, Charlotte has spent countless hours at the skate park, perfecting her tricks and making friends through her local skate club, “She Shreds,” in Hobart. Skateboarding has become her outlet - and what Charlotte wished for more than anything was to meet some of the female skateboarders she's inspired by.
Hanging To Meet Her Skateboarding Heroes
When Make-A-Wish asked Charlotte about her wish, she knew right away: she wanted to meet her favourite female skateboarders making waves in the industry. Especially Arisa Trew, a fellow Australian and talented skater who, like Charlotte, is 14 years old and was a gold medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Charlotte also hoped to meet other young skateboarding talents, including 14-year-old Chloe Covell, another rising star from Australia.
She also knew she wanted her best friend and fellow 'She Shreds' skateboarder Zailee to join her!
Bowled Over by The Experience
Charlotte’s wish became reality in Sydney, where she was invited to attend the 2024 SLS Championship Tour at Ken Rosewall Arena. Over the course of two exciting days, Charlotte and her family enjoyed VIP access to the event, with premium seats, a welcome bag, and other special perks. But the real highlight of her experience was getting to meet some of her skateboarding idols.
On Friday evening, Charlotte had a VIP shopping experience at Fast Times skateboarding in Sydney where she kitted out with brand-new skateboarding gear - and surprised by none other than Chloe Covell herself!
Over the weekend, she cheered on her favourite skaters in the competition’s knockout rounds and had the chance to meet American skateboarder Poe Pinson. She reconnected with Chloe Covell at the arena and, in a memorable moment, awarded medals to the top three female skaters.
To top it all off, Charlotte and Zailee strutted their own skateboarding skills on the competition course - an exciting and rare experience in itself.
"The girls also got to skate on the course at the end of day one which was amazing, and such a rare opportunity!"
Carrie, Charlotte's Mum
A Wish with Impact
For Charlotte and her family, this wish couldn’t have come at a better time. Just days before travelling to Sydney, Charlotte was in the hospital.
“It’s been incredible seeing Charlotte here, being able to meet all the skaters,” her mum shared. “It was only last week that she was actually in hospital, so this has really helped her get through that admission and given her something really exciting to look forward to! She’s just so happy and excited, which is so beautiful to see.”
Reflecting on the journey, Charlotte’s mum talked about how meaningful it was for Charlotte to help shape her own wish experience. “I think her wish has come true even bigger than what she anticipated. She thought that maybe she’d just get to watch the competition, but getting to meet people, receive VIP treatment, and feel like a bit of a celebrity has been amazing.”
Getting a Kick(Flip) out of Her Wish
For Charlotte, this wish was about more than meeting her favourite skateboarders – it gave her something positive to look forward to and an experience that brought her happiness and excitement. And for her mum, watching Charlotte beaming with joy throughout the wish was priceless. “The wish just keeps exceeding my expectations,” she said. “She’s constantly star-struck and excited. The fact that she’s getting to meet the skaters is just amazing.”
Charlotte’s wish journey is one she’ll never forget.
"Thank you so much for granting my wish, it was the BEST!" says Charlotte.
