Kellyn's Wish to go to the Florida vs. Georgia Football Game

A great day for Kellyn was a day playing softball. Kellyn didn't just play, she lived and breathed softball becoming known as a fearless, third base infielder who would rush a bunt without hesitation. In addition, she knew how to swing a bat that had the other team running toward the fence. However, her biggest challenges would not be on a ball field. On what seemed like an ordinary day, Epilepsy entered our world. It didn't just cause seizures, trying numerous medications, doctor's appointments and hospital trips. It caused a fear of playing a sport that could potentially be dangerous during an unexpected seizure, the sport she dearly loves. Memory issues followed, medication side effects, and missed school days. Depression set in, too. As a parent, you want to be able to fix everything, and you simply can't, unfortunately. Other challenges included migraines, asthma and sleep apnea. We were referred to the Cleveland Clinic. During that stay, Kellyn had a massive seizure. She stopped breathing for a considerable amount of time, her lips and fingertips turning blue. She had to be medicated twice and receive oxygen to stop seizing. Chunks of memory were gone as we found out when, for example, she could not remember where to put her fingers on a keyboard to type. 

One day, we heard a story about a young girl with Epilepsy who received a Make-A-Wish trip. Kellyn's neurologist was very supportive, and that began the connection to this amazing organization! Kellyn loves the Florida Gators, so she asked the wonderful people at Make-A-Wish for a trip to the FL/GA game in Jacksonville. It was an exciting weekend of events, meeting famous players and coaches, a celebrity softball game, and more. On game day, we were on the field during warmups and met with Coach Zook. Then we were escorted to our front row seats on the twenty-yard line.

The trip was so much more than a football game. It was an escape from the realities of illness, if even for only a few days. There IS power in a WISH! I don't know if I even have the words to adequately describe that power, that overwhelming emotion of seeing your child experience something that changes their life AND changes their perspective going forward. Make-A-Wish is an organization that we continue to support, and we will never forget their diligent work in changing young lives by making wishes come true. We will always have sweet memories of Kellyn's Make-A-Wish trip for our family. 

Kellyn was later diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis. That has been very challenging, too. After surgery and becoming stable with medications, she worked for Disney World, obtained her bachelor's and master's degrees, and now works as a Mental Health Counselor for children. She also plays softball on co-ed teams. We were honored to participate in the 2026 Walk for Wishes. Donating to Make-A-Wish is money well spent, and we hope you will join us in making many more wishes come true!