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Ilion boy's hockey rink wish granted

By LEXIE O'CONNOR

Story Created: Feb 11, 2012 at 12:24 AM EDT

Story Updated: Feb 11, 2012 at 12:24 AM EDT

UTICA,N.Y. (WKTV) - Thanks to the Make A Wish Foundation, Will Schrader of Ilion will soon have a hockey rink built in his backyard.

The three and a half year-old has been in and out of hospitals since he was 9 months old and diagnosed with leukemia. During that time, his Mom says his love for hockey stayed strong.

"This is amazing," says Will's Mom Jill Schrader. "Will pretty much played hockey throughout the entire time he had his transplant when we were out in boston even before that when we were in Syracuse getting treatment."

"I had my goals set up, and I played," says Will looking back on his time playing hockey in the hospital room.

Now Will will be able to play hockey all year round with a synthetic ice rink in his own backyard.

One of Will's wish granters Barb Galvin says Will's wish stood alone when she came to his home.

"It's very unusual, usually they don't know what they want, they look to their mother or father for the answer and he didn't blink an eye," says Galvin. "He's one of the few kids I couldn't get a second wish out of."

Will's rink is expected to go in this Spring.
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