Local Make-A-Wish teen receives dream Paris bedroom makeover

Kaszmeir Rawls has to have oxygen with her 24-7, which makes it difficult to do a lot of things that we take for granted — like traveling the world.

The 18-year-old lives with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, commonly known as COPD.

When Make-A-Wish offered to grant Rawls her wish, she immediately said she wished to go to Paris. However, due to her condition, she couldn’t make that trip.

But thanks to some community support this week, some of her wishes have now become a reality.

Make-A-Wish and Closets by Design partnered up to surprise her by bringing a piece of her dream to her own home.

“To see her get something that she wanted so much but couldn’t do; and to see that people went above and beyond to make sure her dream still came true, was truly a blessing” said Destini Rawls, Kaszmeir’s mother.

Despite the many changes Kaszmeir has faced since she was first diagnosed last September, she has found the strength to work around her limitations.

She was forced to start online school because her condition did not allow her to return to school physically, however that did not stop her from graduating early with honors.

Her mother says that she could not ask for better inspiration.

“There are times when as a mom you don’t want to see your kids go through anything, but she still has that tenacity; we as adults can learn so much from children,” said Destini.

Pictured are Kaszmeir Rawls (center) in her Parisian themed room surrounded by her mother Destini Rawls (left); her sister Karisvma Keys (right); grandmother Ernestine Rawls (back right); Closets by Design President Doug Gauert; and Mike and Carolyn Conley (blue shirts) who granted Kaszmeir’s wish.