Rocky Hill Resident Is Granted A Major Wish

The have been some bad days in the life of 16-year-old Harrison Camarro but Sunday was definitely not one of them.

Camarro, who has a serious illness and is non-ambulatory and confined to a wheelchair, was the beneficiary of a new large pool and spa from the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“We have been in and out of the hospital with Harry,” said his father Wayne Camarro. “He can’t speak for himself but we knew how much he enjoyed being in the water and being in the pool during the aquatic programs he got to be part of. He goes to a special needs school first in North Haven and then Hamden and they used the aquatic program. But with the amount of kid involved, he only got to go three or four times a year.”

Harrison Camarro’s wish officially came true Sunday when he celebrated with friends and family the grand opening of his very own swim spa at his house in Rocky Hill!

The family contacted Make-A-Wish came in and provided the gift.

“Make-A-Wish honors wishes from people who have life-threatening illnesses and in this case we got the request and then had a social worker and our doctor sign off on the project,” said Debbie Cookartinian. “He’s in a wheelchair most of the day so anything that can help get his muscles moving will help him. He is non-communicative but his family felt this was the best thing he could get. And it wasn’t easy but we got it done.”

Not only did the Camarro family receive the pool and spa, there was a concrete slab put down and a lift was included to lift Harrison from his wheelchair into the water.

“When they brought the spa in, they moved it by crane and they lifted it right over the house,” Wayne Camarro said. “I was pretty nervous hoping that thing wouldn’t fall and drop right into our house.”

The Camarros have plans to enclose the spa and that is why they wanted the concrete slab.

“We have been getting a lot of offers from people around town to help us enclose this so we can use it year-round,” Wayne Camarro said. “It was bigger than I ever thought it would be and everything on the project has been first-class. They came and dug the hole and had the slab done in one day. I don’t know if that’s normal but it seems really fast to me.”

Harrison’s brother Jacob, 8, enjoyed the spa right away with Harrison and their mom Jackie. Harrison’s sister Samantha, 20, will also enjoy the spa as well said Wayne Camarro.

Cookartinian of Make-A-Wish said many people and businesses contributed to the success of the project. Including on that list was the Rocky Hill Building Dept. who waived the fee for the building permit.

“It’s just been great,” Wayne Camarro added. “Everyone has been so supportive and if you see his face right now, it might not look like he’s happy but he’s content and laying his head against his mom. That’s a great thing to see.”