The Make-a-Wish Foundation had to break some bad news to a 6-year-old cancer patient this week ... when Food Network star Ina Garten informed them she was too busy to cook a meal with the boy ... TMZ has learned. 
A family member involved with the Make-A-Wish foundation tells us ... a little boy named Enzo was approached by the organization after he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia three years ago.
Enzo told Make-A-Wish ... he really wanted to cook with the "Barefoot Contessa" host because he would often watch the show with his mother while resting in bed.
M.A.W. approached Garten with the wish last year ... but at the time, she was unable to meet with Enzo due to a book tour. The organization urged Enzo to pick another wish, but he told them he wanted to wait until she becomes available.
We're told the organization went back to Ina this year ... but her team responded with a "definite no" ... once again, citing scheduling conflicts.
A member of Enzo's family says the 6-year-old is heartbroken ... and asked parents, "Why doesn't she want to meet me?"
When we called Make-A-Wish for comment on this story, they told us, "From time to time, planning for wishes doesn't turn out as originally envisioned, despite people’s best intentions and efforts throughout the wish-granting process."
They noted that Ina is a "good friend" of the foundation.
A rep for Garten tells us, "Despite her demanding schedule, [Ina] participates and helps as many organizations as she can throughout the year, helping children and adults like Enzo with life threatening and compromising illnesses.
The rep continues, "Unfortunately, as much as she would like to, it's absolutely impossible for her to grant every request she receives."
We're told Enzo has now made a new wish -- he wants to swim with dolphins ... and he's already taking lessons to make his dream come true.
See More
Reader Comments
(Page 1 of 102) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments
What a selfish Bitch. She needs to remember where she came from and how she got to where she is today- Through her fans!
This story breaks my heart. I can't imagine that her life is packed for the next 365 days, 24 hours a day. How selfish. I hope this little boy is not too disappointed and hurt over this witch's snub.
always hated the way Make-a-Wish guilt trips people into helping
...your kid is dying, lets spend a small fortune and send them to disney...never made much sense to me
What a bitch! I don't give a **** how busy someone is, at least pull some strings a grant a CHILD'S wish!
I want to know how much time and how much money she donates to charities each year before I criticize her for not making herself available to fulfill the wish of this boy.
If she really help a lot of people with her time and money, then I don't think she should be condemned or criticized. But if she is heartless, cruel and selfish and spends no or almost no time and no or almost no money in helping poor suffering children or other worthwhile charities each year, then we should know about it.
Why judge her without the facts? I do feel terrible for the boy, of course. He was heartbroken, I'm sure. I hope his next wish will be fulfilled and if possible, I hope he will be restored to good health. It's terrible to see any child suffer.
Ina has mental problems, and it's probably either phobia or some other type thing going on. If you've never noticed, she wears the exact same shirt on every episode of her show. She has the same shirt in like 30 different colors, and it's the only one she'll wear. She also has that manic problem where the moment she speaks to someone, she begins laughing hysterically and will drown them out. You can never hear anyone reply to her. If the camera shows her close up, she blinds about 150 times a minutes.
Very mentally unstable.
Wow...that's pretty sad. OK, she probably does have a very busy schedule, but geez, can't she manage to squeeze three hours or so into one of her days or evenings for the kid. A very bad move by her. That's certainly not very good publicity for her.
In so many ways, it's was a bad bad decision Ina Garten. You'll probably have plenty of time now since you'll probably won't be that much in demand now.
I can't imagine she would be in that much demand...her show isn't anything special and neither is she.
my boyfriend wishes her,her kids,her pets and her momma gets cancer. stupid bitch.
Visiting sick kids doesn't pay the rent.
And the sick kid learned a lesson.. you don't get all you wish in life, even if you have cancer.
On wikipedia it said she hosted some event for Planned Parenthood. I guess she is okay with killing babies, but not saving children. Oh, and her show stinks. Very boring. I'd rather watch paint dry.
Whatever her motivation was for blowing this kid off twice, I'll bet she regrets it now.
How can she be THAT busy? It's not like this is Gordon Ramsay, or Bobby Flay here, I didnt even know who the heck she was until they mentioned 'barefoot contessa' then it was more like a vague 'oh i think i remember her'. Seriously how busy can you be? Yeah you don't need to guilt trip her into dong it, but you shouldn't HAVE too, if it's a dying kid's wish and it will take a few hours out of your 'busy' schedule, just shut up and do it. You really are not that famous, get over yourself.
