On Sundays, 11-year-old Tyler has a tradition. He flips his television channel to TNN and watches “Bill Dance Outdoors.” If you have cable, then you have most likely seen humorous fisherman Bill Dance pulling fish into his boat while sporting his signature white-and-orange “T” hat (which is in tribute to his alma mater, the University of Tennessee). Tyler, who is a fisherman himself, asked volunteers with the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of Greater Ohio and Kentucky to let him meet and fish with his favorite show host and catch a “really big bass.”

Wish granters arranged for Tyler to meet Bill at his home in Tennessee, and the two fished on a lake nearby. Dance, whose show titles include episodes such as “My Go-To Lure” and “Listen When Bass Are Talking,” knew where the fish were biting. Between the two of them, Tyler and Bill caught and released 25 bass as Tyler’s parents watched from the shore. Later, Tyler exclaimed, “The chance to fish with Bill Dance was awesome!”

Tyler’s mom saw the therapeutic effect the wish experience had on her son as it let him forget about his life-threatening illness for awhile.

“Tyler’s attitude was so different after the fishing trip. Tyler was so much more upbeat and happy,” she explained.