Cleveland teenager’s wish comes true

The Make-A-Wish Foundation partnered with Broyhill Furniture and made a wish come true Saturday for Emily Conn, a Cleveland, Tenn., teenager.

Emily, 18, spends much of her time at home because of a life-threatening medical condition that causes swelling of the brain.

Her wish was for her family room to be turned into an office space where she could stay better connected to her friends and her brother, Andrew, who attends Bryan College in Dayton, Tenn.

On Saturday, Emily and her mother, Robin Conn, visited Johnson’s Home Furnishings in Athens, Tenn., so Emily could choose furniture. Store owner Emmett Johnson and a Broyhill representative helped her make her choices.

Emily also received a computer donated by Girls Preparatory School, which held a weeklong fundraiser for the project.

“She enjoys being on the computer and looking at people’s pictures,” said Robin Conn. “She will be elated.”

Katherine Frank, from Make-A-Wish Foundation of East Tennessee, described her idea of the goal and purpose of the foundation.

“It’s all about creating joy and enhancing a child’s life who has struggles we will never be able to understand,” Frank said.

The date for the unveiling of Emily’s new space will be announced later, officials at Make-A-Wish said.