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There's nothing quite like smelling the salt of the ocean at the beach. But, for 12-year-old Michael LaMore, a south Florida boy, that experience was made even more special. The 12-year-old was able to go saltwater fishing - and his wish was the 9,000^th one granted by the Make a Wish Southern Florida branch.

According to NBC Miami, Michael's heart has a ventricular septal defect. In layman's terms, that means that he has a hole in his heart. The condition is typically diagnosed and birth and, though it is life-threatening, it is treatable.

However, Michael was able to take a week off from hospital visits when he was able to spend a week fishing for dolphins in the Florida Keys. The wish may have been an unusual one for the 12-year-old boy but, according to the Associated Press, it was a logical pick for him. Michael selected the wish over others because he loves the ocean and wanted to see the animals that lived in the sea.

His experience did not simply include the fishing excursion. His week-long trip also allowed him to snorkel, shop at an outdoor location and visit the attractions of the Florida Key island of Islamorada.

Michael was able to bring his family with him for the trip. However, he was also able to select a new family for the occasion. From a pool of volunteers, Michael selected a family that provided food, lodging and a boat for the trip.

"We're really proud of the community impact that we have and the impact we have on these children's lives," Richard Kelly, the Vice President of the Make-a-Wish South Florida branch, said to the Associated Press.

There are 62 branches of the Make a Wish foundation across the United States. The South Florida branch is just the second to cross the 9,000-wish mark.