“She had an amazing reaction, it is an everlasting memory.”

Alan warmly remembers watching Mila unwrap every gift in her Pot of Gold. Mila had made a very detailed list, and every wish was granted.

Inside Mila’s Pot of Gold were lots of Lego sets, which have been passed on to her sister, and a San Diego Chargers blanket that her brother sleeps with now. She also got a gift certificate to the Red Lobster, where her family celebrates birthdays, and a Washington DC hoodie sweatshirt for her bucket list trip to the capital. She hoped to meet President Obama someday.

“She got everything she asked for, and everything she opened brought a big smile to her face” Alan says. “She had an amazing reaction, it is an everlasting memory.” After Mila passed away, Alan wanted to return the favor and help bring a smile to another sick child. So, he teamed up with several military buddies and adopted a Pot of Gold for a young girl with cancer named Kalani.

In what became a full circle moment, Kalani’s Pot of Gold overflowed with everything on her wish list, including lots of toys, gift certificates, and presents for her siblings. “Giving back is something Mila would have loved to be a part of,” Alan said. “She had a huge heart.”

Happily, Mila got to wear her hoodie to DC before she died. In fact, this little girl who inspired another Pot of Gold, even got to meet the President’s dogs, Bo and Sunny.