ESPN Presents First-Ever “Mi Deseo, Un Especial de SportsCenter”

Earlier this month, ESPN aired its first-ever Spanish-language one-hour special from the My Wish series: Mi Deseo, Un Especial de SportsCenter, on ESPN Deportes, featuring heartwarming stories of athletes fulfilling the wishes of children fighting critical illnesses.

Led by Cristina Alexander (Anchor, Host & Play-by-Play Commentator), and produced by the ESPN Features Unit — including Lead Producer Steve Buckheit, Producers Jose Álvarez and Valentin Figueira, Preditor Eric Dowling and Senior Manager Denny Wolfe — this powerful new feature captures boxing champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez granting the wish of 14-year-old Alejandro Merino. Alejandro, a passionate boxing fan from Arizona, gets the chance to meet and train with his idol Canelo in an unforgettable, must-watch experience.

In addition to Canelo’s story, Mi Deseo revisited several other unforgettable moments from the series, offering viewers the chance to look back at some of the most memorable wishes.

Other Wish Stories Featured in Mi Deseo:

• San Francisco 49ers: Levi, a young cancer survivor from Kentucky, is honored by his favorite NFL team after beating cancer. The 49ers roll out the red carpet in celebration of his strength and determination.
• Freddie Freeman and the Los Angeles Dodgers: Gunnar, a passionate baseball fan dealing with a respiratory illness, meets his hero, Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, and plays catch at Dodger Stadium.
• Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels: Seven-year-old Eli, who was born with a heart condition, fulfills his dream of playing catch and receiving personal coaching from Angels star Mike Trout.
• Tom Brady and the New England Patriots: A 2013 Mi Deseo story is revisited, featuring Eduardo Martinez, a young fan with pulmonary hypertension, who scored a touchdown during a New England Patriots practice with quarterback Tom Brady.

ESPN and The Walt Disney Company have a long-standing relationship with Make-A-Wish^©, and Disney is honored to be the world’s largest wish granter for Make-A-Wish. Together, Disney and Make-A-Wish have granted 155,000 life-changing wishes for children fighting critical illnesses globally. Through the My Wish series, ESPN has delivered over 80 sports-themed wish stories. This special on ESPN Deportes continues the tradition, celebrating the incredible strength and resilience of these children and showcasing the transformative power of a wish.

To learn more about how Disney and Make-A-Wish create magical wishes together, visit Wish.org/Disney.