Make-A-Wish Kid Becomes Celebrity, Jams With Maroon 5

When 11-year old child, Cayden Hubbard, wished to be a celebrity for a day, he didn’t expect to be able to hang out with a couple of the world’s biggest stars as well.

Cayden Hubbard, a fifth-grader at Maxey Elementary School in Nebraska has had a tumor on his brain since kindergarten. He asked the Make-A-Wish Foundation to make him a celebrity for the day, and not only did his wish come true, but the stars aligned and allowed for him to meet two of his favorite musicians as well.

On the day that Cayden Hubbard was scheduled to become a celebrity, he was greeted with a screaming mob of elementary school kids and paparazzi lining a path to a limo. Husker football players were hired to escort him and act as personal security guards for Hubbard. Additionally, TV and radio spots were purchased in Nebraska’s major cities, Lincoln and Omaha, and he was flown out to Los Angeles to visit a recording studio, get a makeover, and met “Extra” star, Mario Lopez. The Make-A-Wish Foundation organized all of this. However, Make-A-Wish did not expect the boys from maroon 5 to make a guest appearance in Hubbard’s dream day.

Sean Valentine, Maroon 5’s lead guitarist, received a Facebook message from a high school friend with an article link outlining Hubbard’s celebrity wish. The article was published by the “Journal Star” and mentioned that Maroon 5 was one of Hubbard’s favorite bands.

Valentine’s friend also wrote, “He’s coming to LA tomorrow. Any chance you guys are there?”

Valentine and Levine were in LA to promote their new record, “Overexposed”, so Valentine got in touch with the newspaper, the reporter got in touch with Make-A-Wish, Make-A-Wish spoke to Maroon 5’s agents, and the next day Hubbard met Maroon 5 in the penthouse suite of the Roosevelt Hotel.

"He is such a cool kid," Valentine said. "He really brought a great spirit to the room."

Although excited, Hubbard was “cool as a cucumber”. When asked a question, he immediately broke into the bridge of Adam Levine and Gym Class Heroes’ song, “Stereo Hearts”.

"He launched into it without any reference pitch. He was exactly on key," Valentine said. "He's got some pipes. He can really sing."

Hubbard had a jam session with Valentine and Levine, and received an autographed guitar and Levine’s jacket.

Make-A-Wish organized this day to fulfill Hubbard’s dreams, but Valentine also believes he was rewarded.

"It was just very nice for him to grace us with his rock-star presence."