BELLEVILLE, Mich. – At first glance, you wouldn't know how sick 13-year-old Eric Osaer really is.
Just like many kids his age, he loves being around people and playing outdoors. But Eric has a disease called Eosinophilic Esophagitis. It causes his white blood cells to attack his digestive system. He can't eat regular food, so he uses a feeding tube.
"It goes through my nose, down my esophagus and into my stomach," Eric said.
And his medical issues don't stop there.
"I have a tumor in my back, three bulging discs, I have issues with my legs, weakness in my arms and it's really kind of a bummer because I can't do a lot of other things," Eric said.
Eric said the disease, at times, has made him feel sad, depressed and like giving up on life.
"I didn't know what to do so I thought that if I was around nobody and I did nothing, that it would just go away," he said.
Earlier this summer, Eric got an opportunity from the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He wished for a tree house -- with just one stipulation.
"He said, 'I want a tree house that my grandpa can get in and play with me,'" said Eric's grandfather, Robert Diel.
A few months later, Eric's wish came true. Not only can his grandpa play inside, so can several other people. The palatial estate has a living room with a loft and is complete with hardwood floors, a fireplace and solar lights.
Eric was able to watch the construction of the treehouse as it went up in his backyard in Belleville. While the place is impressive, what was most inspiring is the relationships Eric built along the way with the people who helped make his wish come true.
Tim Porcasi's company Pro Home Improvement in Ferndale paid for and constructed the tree house.
"It's not so much the treehouse, it's the people that he's connected with and bonded with. We're calling him and we're talking to him and seeing how he's doing. I think that's what means the most to him," said Porcasi.
"It has changed him from being very sad and focused only on the pain and what's going on to hey, other people care about me and he can just be a kid," said Eric's mom, Renee Osaer.
"Every day that I saw them work on it made me very happy and excited. Even if they took extra-long on purpose just to visit with me that was really good," Eric said.
None of this would be possible without the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
If you would like to help other kids like Eric, Make-A-Wish is holding its annual Wish Ball Saturday, Nov. 14, at the MGM Grand in Detroit.
To purchase tickets or if you would like to make a donation, click here.