GASTONIA, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) -- The Schiele Museum of Natural History received a temporary new exhibit that was a little out of the ordinary. An animatronic dragon was on display at the museum for one day only in order to fulfill a wish for a local woman.

The Schiele hosted a day of free admission for Make-A-Wish families that brought Mary Grace Riddell face-to-face with a dragon that she had imagined as a teen while undergoing a series of medical procedures.

Mary Grace loves to draw and write. She creates stories that center around a special character – a dragon named Eclipse. When she was referred to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Central & Western North Carolina in 2021, Mary Grace’s dream was to see Eclipse come to life.

After several years of problems and delays, the local Make-A-

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