LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A local teenager got to live out her dream of becoming a recording artist thanks to Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada.
The organization said back in 2019, then 17-year-old Destiny had surgery to remove a malignant mass and began a series of chemotherapy and surgical treatments. They said music kept her spirits up and after going to a Lady Gaga concert, she knew that's what she wanted to do.
"I've always loved the stage. I've been performing on the stage since I was a wee little thing and now, for the first time, I'm singing on stage by myself instead of a group of people," Destiny, who is now 21, said. "People came to see me and it really means a lot."
Destiny worked with music producers to record her original songs, which she then performed on stage at Pearl Theater at the Palms. She was also welcomed by a crowd as she walked the blue carpet and was featured on the casino's marquees and digital screens. She said the whole process has been a "rollercoaster."
"I thought I wasn't going to get my wish because I was getting really old," Destiny said. "But it ended up happening and it became a lot bigger than what it started as so I'm really grateful for it."
Destiny said she hopes this can inspire people to keep going and reach for their dreams.
"I want them all to know that anything is possible. Even if it doesn't look like it, there's always another way," Destiny said. "No matter what chronic ability you have or what invisible disability you have, the world is yours. You make what you want of your life. No one else can tell you how to do that."
