Magic is a universal language.
It crosses every border, every language, every barrier — and that's what makes it one of the most powerful tools we have for reaching people in need.
"The first time the child had smiled since her surgery."
In 1991, a sixteen-year-old Ted Myerson made a small ball vanish from his hand and reappear in the hand of a young girl from Honduras at St. Francis Hospital. She had just had both legs amputated. She didn't speak English.
"The great thing about magic is that you don't need to know the language, because it's visual," he told The Hartford Courant. The nurse said it was the first time the child had smiled since her surgery.
Decades later, that headline — magic is a universal language — became the thesis of Operation Magic.
Long before Operation Magic, the same idea — on television.
A public-service spot for the Society of Young Magicians, filmed with Ted as a young magician performing for kids and families at Saint Francis Hospital. The pitch was simple then and it still is: hand a kid a magic kit, and you hand them confidence.
Society of Young Magicians PSA · USA Network cartoon special · Saint Francis Hospital
What we do
Elevate. Empower. Heal.
Operation Magic improves the lives of at-risk people everywhere through the transforming and transcending power of magic.
Aids those suffering from illness or injury through the therapeutic benefits of magic.
Instills self-confidence and self-reliance by teaching the art and wonder of magic.
Encourages and connects people who wish to share the smiles magic creates with those in need.
Our Focus
We work through healthcare, education, mentoring, and humanitarian organizations to bring magic to those who need it most — children in hospitals, students seeking confidence, and communities looking for connection.
Whether the audience is a child recovering from surgery or a young magician finding their voice on stage, the through-line is the same: a small moment of wonder, shared in any language.