Off to Orlando

The limo was scheduled for 6 a.m. today.

It was stopping at the home of Ryan and Sara Barger just west of Dunkirk in that area where the Jay, Blackford and Delaware counties intersect.

And then it was off to Disney World.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation was taking 7-year-old Emeri Barger and her family — Mom and Dad, brothers Eli and English and grandmother Doris Barger — on a seven-day, all-expense-paid vacation.

And on top of Disney World, they plan to visit Sea World, Legoland and Universal Orlando, including The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Emeri, who attends kindergarten at Albany Elementary School, has been fighting leukemia for the past two years.

“She got diagnosed with leukemia in February 2018,” her mother said Tuesday. “She’s in maintenance now. She’s got about two and a half months left in treatment.”

Her treatment meant that she missed a lot of school last year, resulting in a second year of kindergarten.

But right now, she’s focused on the adventure ahead.

“I really wanted to go to Disney World,” Emeri said. “I’ve been watching videos of it. It’s fun. … They have a room of giraffes!”

That’s her favorite animal.

“I want to be a vet,” she said.

Bubbly and wearing a pink t-shirt that said, “Always be yourself — or a mermaid — or a unicorn,” Emeri today is a far cry from two years ago when her illness was diagnosed.

She was nominated for Make-A-Wish by Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis, where she received treatment. But being nominated was just the start. Emeri had to decide upon a wish, and then there was a long wait for the wish to come true.

“We’ve been working on it about two years,” said Sara.

The family will be staying at the Give Kids the World Resort and plans to squeeze in as much fun as possible.

“We’re going to try to fit everything in,” said Sara.

As for Emeri, her goals for the trip are pretty simple: “Riding the rides and eating lots of sugar!”