The dreams of a West Rockhill teen with cystic fibrosis came true when the Philadelphia branch of the Make-A-Wish Foundation paired her with a pony.
Since meeting in October, the pair spends about five days a week together at the Lehigh County farm where Joey is stabled.
She grooms him, feeds him treats, whispers endearments into his pointed ears. They go for long walks around 50-acre Triple M Highland Farm in Lower Milford. And when the weather cooperates, Bekah and Joey succumb to their shared love of speed - with Joey galloping from field to field, Bekah holding tight on the Western-style saddle atop his broad, white back.
For Rebekah Weigner, known as Bekah to friends and family, owning a horse is a wish come true - one recently granted by the Philadelphia chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was 9 months old, Bekah has known she was eligible to get a wish since she was about 8 years old.
She could have settled for a more standard wish, perhaps a weeklong family vacation. But Bekah knew what she wanted and had the patience and determination to wait for it.
It's the first time the regional chapter of Make-A-Wish has had someone wish for a horse, according to Sarah Raiken, who coordinated Bekah's wish.
The foundation grants wishes for children with life-threatening diseases. In addition to finding Joey, the foundation paid for a year of vaccinations and six months of boarding and lessons for the horse, Raiken said. They threw Bekah a "horsey shower," providing the Weigners with blankets and brushes and other items necessary to care for Joey.