2025 Wish Ball a Record-Breaking Fundraiser of Hope

The Waldorf Astoria was awash in hope, despite tears at times, as Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic hosted its annual Wish Ball in late February.

The annual Ball attracts hundreds of guests to raise awareness and funds for Make-A-Wish, which grants life-changing wishes for children in the region. Every year, some 450 local children are expected to receive a diagnosis that makes them eligible for a wish.

The 2025 Wish Ball was a fundraiser for future wishes, but also a reminder that wishes bring hope — and not just to the children receiving them.

Shannon Feaster, Wish Mom to Savi, “a force of nature, bright in every way,” detailed Savi’s health journey and wish for an Infinity 8 Birthday Party — “Infinity Eight — she thought if she could make it to 8, she’d live forever” — at The American Dream Mall in New York .

“The memories we have from that weekend will stay with us forever, and in the midst of all of that fun I will always remember that Savi said to me, ‘Mommy, this is the best day of my life.'”

While Savi passed away shortly before her ninth birthday, she remains a hero to many, and her inspiration helped the event to raise a record-breaking $1,546,803 toward granting wishes.

The 2025 Make-A-Wish Ball was co-chaired by Katherine & Benjamin Berman and Sophie & Stephen LaMontagne (Georgetown Cupcake).