FamilySearch recently collaborated with Wish of a Lifetime from AARP, an organization that supports individuals ages 65 and over, to grant the wish of 3 family history enthusiasts, giving them a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel to Salt Lake City, Utah, to explore and discover their ancestry in person at the FamilySearch Library.
What Is Wish of a Lifetime?
Since 2008, Wish of a Lifetime, a charitable affiliate of AARP, has helped nearly 3,000 seniors in the United States achieve lifelong dreams. Through Wish of a Lifetime, friends, family members, or even seniors themselves can submit nominations to experience a dream come true.
The FamilySearch Library is a dream destination for many who are passionate about genealogy. People travel from everywhere to find out what they can discover with the library’s vast resources. Thanks to Wish of a Lifetime and FamilySearch's collaboration, 3 seniors—Cynthia, Harry, and Flora—got their wish of visiting the library.
Cynthia Finds Healing Through Genealogical Discoveries
For more than 25 years, Cynthia has been researching her family history, fueled by curiosity about her family. Because her father had a military career, Cynthia moved around a lot and lacked many close family connections.
When her father passed away, she found herself overwhelmed by grief and with a greater desire to connect with her ancestry. “I wouldn't cry when I was conducting research,” she remembered. The research “enabled my thoughts to divert from my heart's agony,” she said. But with many questions still unanswered, Cynthia hoped to someday visit the FamilySearch Library.
In spring 2024, Wish of a Lifetime made that dream come true. Upon arriving to the FamilySearch Library, Cynthia and her friend David received a personal tour of the facility.
Although Cynthia had already done extensive family history research, her visit culminated in a one-on-one comprehensive investigation of her maternal family line with Julia, a research specialist. She was happy to learn a new fact: her great-great-grandfather’s name.
“Now I understand how children feel when in a toy or candy store,” Cynthia remarked, overwhelmed by the library’s resources and her discoveries there. “I was so elated to finally be in the one place I dreamed about for many years.”
Harry Learns More About His Mother’s Past
Harry has spent years trying to find out more about his mother's biological family. Because his mother was adopted shortly after her birth, he knows very little of her past, and that knowledge, he said, “was just something I’ve always wanted.” After reading an article about Wish of a Lifetime, Harry submitted an application. In April 2025, his wish came true.
Harry and his granddaughter Olivia came to the FamilySearch Library, where Pam, a family history specialist, walked them through the results of the months of research she had done on Harry’s family. She gave Harry a binder filled with information on his ancestors, something he hopes to share with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
One of Olivia’s favorite discoveries was learning that her great-grandmother—Harry’s mother—played the violin and mandolin and was an accomplished dancer. Olivia, who also loves music and dance, said, “My parents, they aren't really like the music or dance type. So knowing where it comes from is kind of nice.”
Harry already knew his mother was musical, but he hadn’t realized the full extent of her accomplishments until his visit to the library. He learned his mother often performed at charity fundraisers and competed in a beauty contest. Harry was grateful to learn that his mother’s adoptive family gave her so many great opportunities. He said, “This really made the difference in knowing my past and my grandparents and past generations.”
Flora Connects with Her Father Through Family History
Flora’s father passed away when she was young, and she has spent her entire life trying to learn more about him. Although her mother spoke little about him, she often mentioned his military service. However, a 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center destroyed millions of military records, including those of Flora’s father.
When Flora heard about the FamilySearch Library, she was amazed at its vast collection, but never thought she would be able to go herself. That changed when Wish of a Lifetime made her dream possible.
Joni, a FamilySearch Library research specialist, was able to find Flora’s father’s name on various military muster rolls, monthly rosters, and morning reports, as well as other valuable documents such as death and birth certificates.
“I discovered so much about my father’s military history,” Flora said, reflecting on her experience. “I felt immersed in my dad’s military experience.”
“Never would I have imagined I’d have this opportunity,” Flora remarked, especially grateful that she could have the experience with her son. “It truly is a wish of a lifetime.”
Discover Your Family
Although Cynthia, Harry, and Flora traveled to the FamilySearch Library to find answers to their genealogical questions, making fun discoveries and connecting with your family can be as simple as creating a free account on FamilySearch.org. Once you have an account, try some of the activities below to get started.
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At FamilySearch, we care about connecting you with your family, and we provide fun discovery experiences and family history services for free. Why? Because we cherish families and believe that connecting generations can improve our lives now and forever. We are a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To learn more about our beliefs, click here.
