A Make-A-Wish surprise for a young boy in Otay Mesa

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – It has been a very exciting day for an Otay Mesa boy.

After spending the day at a San Diego theme park, he will come home to a big surprise.

Volunteers at the beginning of makeover day, standing in a dirt backyard, ready for their assignment as 10-year-old Caden, the boy with the big and brand new heart, leaves in a fancy limo for Legoland.

He has no idea the level of transformation that’s about to occur.

It’s “Extreme Makeover Backyard Edition.”

Thanks to “Make-A-Wish,” the wish granters and AMN Healthcare Caden, who got a new heart a year and a half ago, and his family will arrive home to a customized slice of paradise.

“Caden is quite the interior designer this is what his backyard sound like, he wants it to be tropical with grass, a trampoline so his sister and brother can jump on it, a play-station with a slide,” said Dawn Anderson, vice president of AMN Healthcare. 

“Last time we were here he threw his sister in a muddy hole, he’s pretty rambunctious, but this’ll be a nice safe area for the kids,” said John Husby from Make-A-Wish.

Volunteers from AMN, Home Depot and some firefighters are sweatin’ it out, making this happen.

Aldo Cistrone from AMN Healthcare heard about his company sponsoring this wish and decided he needed to be a part of it.

“I can’t wait to see his face when he comes back. I know the difference between this morning and this afternoon and it’s an unbelievable transformation,” Cistrone said.

The new and improved backyard comes complete with an area for Caden’s parents to sit back, relax and watch the fun their three kids are having.

“It’d be nice to put a smile on his face, I’d love to see the look on his face … it does my heart good to see that he’s happy,” said Tammy Brass from Home Depot.

“It really empowers the kids they’re going through their tough times in treatment, struggles in the hospital…this is something they look forward to … lifts their spirits,” Husby said.