The reporter phrased it that way.
As you well know, from all the years of discussion here at FR, catholics do not pray to dead people. They ask those who have exemplified a holy life, to intervene on their behalf. In this particular situation, she asked, and it would seem he placed her request before our Lord.
How is that different from "praying" to someone?
The implication in the story is that she prayed to JPII for healing and he healed her, that conclusion I can understand your problem with.