Max, 14 years old, CA |

Wish submitted by:

Max has been placed in an RFA home and is awaiting reunification with his father. He has remained positive throughout his experience with DCFS and has recently begun attending church and weekly Bible study. Max states that he attends church to learn about forgiveness and to forgive those in his life. Max has recently begun raising his grades and is involved in ROTC through his school. He wants to grow up to be in the Marines. In his free time, Max likes to play soccer and baseball and is interested in starting boxing and self-defense classes.

Max is a spirited 14-year-old eighth grader, embarking on a new adventure in a Resource Family Home, far from the familiar streets where he once roamed with friends and family. This big change has Max searching for his identity, trying to figure out who he is in a world that feels unfamiliar. With only a few of his belongings by his side, it sometimes feels like he's lost a part of himself. Among those treasured items was his beloved Acqua di Gio Parfum—a gift from his family during the holidays, a scent that always made him feel at home. When the time came to move, that special bottle stayed behind, and now Max feels its absence weighing on him. Every day, he longs for the fragrant reminder of laughter-filled family gatherings and summer adventures with friends. Max dreams of the day he can once again spray that cologne, letting its fresh, invigorating scent wrap around him like a warm hug. It’s not just a fragrance to him; it’s a connection to his roots, a bridge to his past filled with love and memories. Now, he’s hoping to find a way to reclaim that piece of his story—the Acqua di Gio Parfum. For Max, it’s not just about the cologne; it’s about the joy, comfort, and love it represents. With every spritz, he believes he can carry a piece of home wherever he goes, reigniting the spark of his true self in this new chapter of his life.