When 18-year-old Noah made his wish, his family wasn’t sure they heard him right. Because he’s a sports fan, everyone figured he’d want to see a World Series game or meet his beloved New York Jets.

But instead of prime seats at Giants Stadium, Noah wished for seats onboard a Qantas flight bound for Sydney, Australia. His parents and older brother joined him for a two-week adventure Down Under.

“I thought I was hallucinating,” recalls his mother, Sandy.

In retrospect, though, it all makes sense: Noah was a torchbearer for the 2000 Paralympics, held in Sydney,

when the flame traveled through the United States. And a chance encounter with Jets kicker Ben Graham, a former Australian Football League star, made Noah curious about Australia.

It was also the first time flying for Noah, who was born prematurely and was diagnosed with a life-threatening form of cerebral palsy. The first leg of his trip was five hours to Los Angeles, followed by another 15 hours to Sydney.

“The plane ride was exhausting!” Noah says, but credits the crew for making it as comfortable for him as possible.

Once they arrived, Noah was already eager to sight-see. He led his family to landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House, the famous Manly and Bondi beaches and the Harbor Bridge. He also visited Telstra Stadium, the eventual destination for the torch he carried in 2000.

The family managed to get away from the Sydney sprawl and into the Blue Mountains region just west of the metro area. Near the rural town of Katoomba, Noah got a glimpse of the famous Three Sisters rock formation during a perfectly clear day.

Noah’s trip to the Featherdale Wildlife Park gave him a true taste of Australia – and gave some of the local wildlife a taste of him. The park is filled with native fauna roaming about uncaged. One brave young kangaroo bounded up to Noah’s wheelchair and gave a curious nibble on his shoe, a memory that still makes him laugh months later.

The warm, easygoing Australian culture taught Noah quite a bit – as a New Yorker, he’s used to a relentless pace. He also appreciated that wheelchair access was common, making it easier for him to think about his next destination rather than worrying about getting around. With help from his mother, he kept a journal of everything he did.

“Make-A-Wish really gave us a chance to explore different opportunities,” Noah says.

Sandy notices that the trip has changed Noah. He’s always been active and determined to not let his serious medical condition stifle him. But going abroad has sparked a curiosity about everything around him.

“It opened a lot of him that hadn’t been opened before,” she says. “He’s more inquisitive.”

Noah and Sandy are also new volunteers at the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey.