Diego Barbosa, a 5-year-old animal lover, wished for a best friend. To make his wish come true, Make-A-Wish Connecticut and Tractor Supply Store 2212, located on South Main Street, teamed up to surprise him with a puppy on Friday, September 25.

Make-A-Wish Connecticut board member and wish granter Carol Barrios, along with fellow wish granter Ana Muniz, arrived at Tractor Supply early Friday evening. They got everything ready for the special occasion, setting up a space in the store for Barbosa to meet his new fluffy companion.

Barrios and Muniz filled a table with numerous gifts and goodies for Barbosa and his family: cupcakes, cookies, water bottles, blue and silver balloons, chew toys, a rhinoceros dog toy, and more. Among the items were a matching black T-shirt and black dog bandana with the word "besties" on them; the dot in the "i" was replaced with a heart.

Tractor Supply Team Leader Tom Holloway and his coworkers helped prepare the store in the meantime. Stephanie Jarrin-Morales, a senior bilingual wish coordinator with Make-A-Wish Connecticut, arrived and went into the store with the then-unnamed Bernedoodle puppy.

Jarrin-Morales came at the perfect time, as Barbosa and his family arrived in a limousine shortly afterwards. This is standard fare for Make-A-Wish recipients, as they often receive limousine rides to and from wish events, according to Barrios.

Barrios excitedly greeted Barbosa and his family, consisting of his mom, Maria Sanchez; his dad, Carlos Villarroel; his brother, Armando Valenzuela; and his sister, Kaisley Otañez.

Barrios led them into the store to the surprise area, where the family was excited to see Muniz holding the puppy. Muniz asked Barbosa if he wanted the puppy to sit on his lap, and he reached out and got to pet his fluffy friend for the first time.

She then asked if the family decided on a name for the puppy. Sanchez, already kneeling to pet the dog, smiled up at Muniz and said Oreo; a perfect fit for the Bernedoodle's black fur along his body and the tufts of white fur by his nose and paws.

It did not take long for Oreo to start licking Barbosa's face, much to everyone's amusement. The family smiled as they looked through all their goodies on the table.

It was a special moment for Barbosa's family, as none of them have ever owned a dog before. However, it was equally special for Oreo, as he turned eight weeks old that Friday.

The day was far from over for Oreo or Barbosa's family, as they were treated to a $1,000 shopping spree inside Tractor Supply. This way, Barbosa and his family could pick out everything Oreo would need. They also received a $250 gift card to Tractor Supply in addition to the shopping spree, along with a gift certificate for Chewy from Make-A-Wish Connecticut.

Holloway led them around the store's dog section. He helped the family pick out a leash and went over various dog care tips, from how often they should brush Oreo's hair to how often they should bathe him.

Barrios used her experience as a dog owner to give Barbosa's family advice on beds, gates, food, toys, and more. All the while, Muniz, Jarrin-Morales, and Tractor Supply employees were ready to help at a moment's notice. Jarrin-Morales also spoke to the family in Spanish as needed.

Oreo even got to walk around with his family for the first time. Family members took turns walking Oreo with his leash, with Oreo excitedly trotting around to explore the store. Sometimes, if the family lingered in one area long enough, Oreo would lay on the floor and paw at his family's shoes.

Seeing this meant a lot to Barrios, who was the starter for Barbosa's wish alongside Muniz.

"I always like to close the loop and finish it when I can," Barrios said.

She and Muniz started Barbosa's wish in June. Make-A-Wish Connecticut grants about 240 wishes per year to qualified children in the state, according to Barrios. These children can be anywhere from 2-18 years old.

Whenever people see Barrios wearing her Make-A-Wish apparel, she said they will often feel sad for her or the child's family. However, even though these children are going through incredibly difficult circumstances, Barrios said it is special for them to have their wishes granted.

"Most of the time, people think it's such a sad thing, but we're bringing these kids going through life-threatening illnesses a bright spot in their lives," Barrios said. "And sometimes, that bright spot is not only for the child, but also for the family, because the family and the support system is so taxed. It's challenging to have a child that has such a serious illness."

As everyone helped load items into the limousine, Sanchez gave the Tractor Supply and Make-A-Wish Connecticut representatives a big hug. She profusely thanked the Make-A-Wish Connecticut representatives, a bright smile on her face.

In that moment, Sanchez recalled the day she got the call about Barbosa's wish status. She called it one of those days someone is running around frustrated, doctors not saying what they are supposed to say. When Sanchez heard the good news from Jarrin-Morales, she said she was going to cry. Jarrin-Morales told her, "Don't cry, I'm going to cry."

Even though the two had tears in their eyes then, it was a happy moment that led to many other happy moments, that Friday included.

"I couldn't do it without you guys," Sanchez told them. "We are very, very happy. Thank you so much."

From here, Barbosa's family gets to share many other firsts with Oreo, with the family and the Make-A-Wish Connecticut representatives promising to stay in touch.

Reporter Jenna Visca can be reached at jenna@thebee.com.