BENTLEY BARKER of Bethesda is about to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Super Bowl LIX, and he will be in very good company when he reaches his destination.

According to Katie Ferrell, vice president of marketing and community engagement for Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana based in Columbus, Bentley is one of four Ohio “wish kids” making the trip to New Orleans for the big game.

A total of 19 special young people from across the country will have that same wish granted.

The other three Buckeyes hail from Shaker Heights, Canton and Toledo, Ohio.

Fanatics and the NFL are the official sports partner of Make-A-Wish.

The NFL is providing tickets to Super Bowl LIX, while Fanatics is enhancing the moment with a series of memorable experiences throughout Super Bowl week.

Their visits to NOLA open with a welcome reception Wednesday at Dave & Buster’s, where the wish kids will participate in a “spirited trading card activation” hosted by Topps, Ferrell noted.

Participating wish kids also will enjoy a private shopping experience Friday at the Lids store to pick out their game-day gear. Each wish kid will be gifted $250 from Fanatics to shop at the store, which will have exclusive Super Bowl LIX merchandise available for the teams playing in the big game.

Ferrell pointed out that the Super Bowl is one of the largest annual wish-granting events with more than 300 Super Bowl wishes granted in Make-A-Wish history.

“Last year was the first time Fanatics partnered with Make-A-Wish to elevate this life-changing experience by supporting 20 kids’ wishes – the most wishes granted at a Super Bowl in Make-A-Wish history,” Ferrell wrote in an email. “Since kicking off its partnership with Make-A-Wish in October 2023, Fanatics has enhanced more than 500 sports-related wishes and we’re just getting started.”

She also pointed to her organization’s long partnership with the NFL.

“Wishes involving the NFL started in 1982 – shortly after Make-A-Wish was founded and the first wish Make-A-Wish and the NFL granted together was the ninth in the organization’s history,” she added. “Since then, hundreds of NFL wishes have been granted with all 32 teams and their players.”

Founded in 1980 to transform the life of 7-year-old Christopher James Greicius, who was battling leukemia and wished to be a police officer, Make-A-Wish has since granted hundreds of thousands of wishes to critically ill children, according to its website.

To be eligible to receive a wish, a child must be diagnosed with a “critical illness” – a progressive, degenerative or malignant condition that is placing the child’s life in jeopardy. Children ages 2 ½ to 18 years old can qualify as long as they have not received a wish from another wish-granting organization.

Locally, Make-A-Wish has granted 37 wishes over the past 10 years, according to Ferrell. In Eastern Ohio, the organization has granted wishes to 19 children in Belmont County, three in Harrison County, 13 in Jefferson County and two in Monroe County.