Community Comes Together To Make Aiden's Dream Come True... To Find A Missing Clownfish In Sydney

April 30, 2014

The Sydney youngster's dream to find Nemo became reality thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and locals, who guided him and his family on their journey to the Great Barrier Reef.

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Aiden's wish started in Sydney on April 7, when Sydney Aquarium staff told him that Nemo was missing, beginning his trip of a lifetime to Cairns collecting clues to find his favorite clownfish.

News Limited

After pole-feeding Sultan the crocodile at Cairns Tropical Zoo and seeking more clues among turtles, pelicans and other creatures made famous in Finding Nemo, a full police escort guided the Hyde family to the Cairns Police Station.

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Traffic was stopped as crowds gathered to cheer on Aiden, who emerged in a BearCat armoured police vehicle awash with blue balloons led by a parade of Make-A-Wish volunteers and emergency vehicles to Fogarty Park, where the next clue awaited.

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With just one piece of the puzzle to go, added with the help of a video message from movie star Eric Bana who lent his voice to Nemo's shark character "Anchor", Aiden and his family jumped aboard a chartered helicopter to Green Island to finally swim and snorkel among the famous clownfish – but not before he spent time greeting his local fans and testing out a fire truck.

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Aiden's mother Nicole said her family had long talked about her son's "beautiful wish" as he underwent treatment for Neuroblastoma Stage 4, but they never imagined it would be on such an amazing scale.

"I was in tears in the BearCat to think we've finally come to the end of that journey to see his wish come to reality, and to do it as a family is even more special," she said.

Little Aiden agreed, labelling yesterday as "the best day ever".

Via TheCairnesPost