Ariana Metzger got the thrill of her young life Wednesday, when she attended a special

Miley Cyrus performance for &#8220World Wish Day&#8221 and met the teen star afterward.

The City of Tonawanda fifth-grader, who was born with cystic fibrosis, a chronic lung

disease that can result in early death, met the &#8220Hannah Montana&#8221 star with the help

of Make-A-Wish Foundation of WNY.

&#8220It was overwhelming. Everything about it was awesome,&#8221 Ariana, 11, said from Los

Angeles, where she is visiting until Saturday with her parents, Kristopher and Amy, and

younger sister Courtney.

&#8220It was pretty cool, said Amy Metzger. &#8220Her lifelong dream was to meet Miley

Cyrus.&#8221

Here&#8217s what happened:

At 7:15 a.m, a coach-sized bus showed up at the Beverly Hills hotel to take 30 Make-A-Wish

kids, including Ariana, and chaperones to a Disney store. Each was given a $50 gift

certificate and got to take photos with Mickey and Minnie Mouse, who happened to be in the

neighborhood.

&#8220It was something nice for all the kids,&#8221 Kristopher Metzger said.

After leaving, the kids were treated to &#8220Hanna Montana&#8221 dolls and other gifts

from the Disney show.

In the afternoon, everyone went to the Grove, an outdoor shopping center, where the kids

were seated in a special section in front of the stage. They listened to sound checks and,

later, short performances by teen recording artist Jordan Pruitt and Mark Ballas, a ballroom

singer and dancer on ABC&#8217s &#8220Dancing With the Stars.&#8221

Miley bounded on the stage after being introduced by a former Make-A-Wish Foundation

recipient, telling the audience she had granted 105 wishes and felt grateful to help. With

Ariana practically within arm&#8217s length, she sang her ballad &#8220The Climb,&#8221

dedicating it to the Make-A-Wish kids.

While singing, Miley reached out and touched Ariana&#8217s hand.

After the song ended, the kids were taken upstairs to the next-door pizzeria, where they

ate free food on a balcony with actors from the &#8220Hannah Montana&#8221 show.

&#8220We got tons of pictures, autographs, it was cool. Ariana loved it,&#8221 Kristopher

Metzger said.

They also had their pictures taken with Miley&#8217s mother and sister.

Then Ariana met Miley and gave her a present, a homemade shirt that read, &#8220Miley

Rocks.&#8221 The TV star was thrilled with the gift.

When Ariana told the star she had cystic fibrosis, Miley said she she had a friend who also

had it, and that she tried to do things to support those who have it.

&#8220I&#8217m very involved with cystic fibrosis,&#8221 Miley said.

Ariana, who received an autographed picture, was on Cloud 9, and even sister Courtney got a

hug from the star.

After that, Ariana ate pizza on the balcony with Jordan Pruitt.

&#8220She couldn&#8217t believe she was actually sitting there and eating with a celebrity,

hanging out and talking about girl stuff,&#8221 her dad said. &#8220Now Jordan Pruitt is her

second favorite star.&#8221

Amy said it was a trip her daughter will never forget.

&#8220It was just so much fun,&#8221 she said.

&#8220I don&#8217t think it&#8217s really hit her yet. I think she feels like the celebrity

right now.&#8221