Shankwitz died on January 24 at his home in Prescott, Arizona, of esophageal cancer, said Kitty Shankwitz. He was 77 years old.
“Frank’s passing has created a loss in our lives that will take time to heal,” said his family in a statement on its Facebook page. “However, we are comforted to know that the legacy he left will continue to remain with all those who knew him.”
“The number of lives he has touched around the world with the creation of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, his law enforcement career, his service in the Air Force, and the impact he has had on all the other organizations he has given his time in recent years is proof of the man he was, “said the statement.
Shankwitz was among several AZDPS officers who fulfilled Chris’s dream, making him the first and only honorary officer on the Arizona highway patrol, a position that came with his own uniform, badge and motorcycle officer wings.
Chris died just days after his wish was granted, and Shankwitz led the funeral procession in Illinois, according to AZDPS.
The experience inspired Shankwitz, along with his wife and several others, to found the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Shankwitz was the organization’s first president and CEO.
Today, Make-A-Wish says it grants a wish to a child every 34 minutes in the United States and its territories, thanks to the help of thousands of volunteers and donors. The organization also grants wishes to children in about 50 countries on five continents, he says.
Shankwitz was an AZDPS officer until his retirement in 1996, but remained an AZDPS reserve detective. He then went to work for the Arizona Motor Vehicles Division’s Special Investigations Office, says AZDPS, before retiring in 2001. After that, AZDPS assigned him to the Prescott PD Cold Case Unit. He resigned in 2014 after 42 years of police service.
Shankwitz later wrote a memoir, and his life inspired the 2019 film “Wish Man”.
“Make-A-Wish is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Frank Shankwitz,” said the foundation in a social media statement, describing Shankwitz as one of the six people who started the foundation.
“Thanks to all of our generous founders, more than 500,000 children with critical illnesses around the world have had a chance to experience the lasting and transformative benefits of a wish.”