The Power of A W15H

I still remember where I was when my mom told me.

I was in our kitchen, staring at my computer screen, trying to make sense of an email. I was so focused on what I was doing that it took a moment for her words to sink in.

“Tim Tebow’s foundation is granting your wish.”

Okay, great. They were- what?

I spun around in my chair to stare at my mom. “They are?”

When she nodded, I sat back in my chair, overcome with shock, disbelief, and complete excitement. For years, I had read articles about the Tim Tebow Foundation’s Wish 15 program. Through it, they make dreams come true for children with life threatening illnesses who want to spend time with Tim. Once, I came across an E:60 episode about Dylan, one of their W15H kids who has cerebral palsy. I watched it, overcome with amazement at Dylan’s story and blown away by how Tim and the foundation rolled the red carpet out for him. As it ended, I turned to my parents. “We could do that.”

Now, we were going to.

For years, I had looked up to Tim Tebow. My admiration had less to do with his accomplishments on the field and more to do with the way he achieved them. Never once did he complain about adversity or critics. And he always gave his all, whether he was running for a first down or preparing for the NFL Draft. His work ethic and determination inspired me as I went through physical therapy, Botox injections, and the numerous other challenges cerebral palsy brings. More than that, though, I loved how outspoken he was about his faith. He always gave glory and praise to God, regardless of the situation or what others might say about it. He quickly went from my favorite Florida player to my inspiration, and it was my dream to one day meet him and tell him that. Little did I know, God was going to turn that desire into a relationship I will always treasure.

My W15H weekend was everything I’d imagined and more. My family and I had dinner with Tim, were given a VIP tour of the College Football Hall of Fame, were Tim’s guests at SEC Nation-the SEC Network’s travelling pregame show- and took in the Alabama-Georgia game. It was such an incredible experience to be able to spend time with Tim, who is every bit as kind in person as he seems to be on TV. He and his foundation went out of their way to make me feel loved and special, and they treated my family and me as if we were the celebrities. It was a weekend I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

One of the things that is so special about TTF to me is that they do more than just grant a W15H: you become part of their family. Since my W15H in October of 2015, the foundation has stayed in touch with us, continuing to keep us in their prayers and sharing faith, hope, and love with us however they can. Sometimes, that means sending encouraging Scripture; other times, it means creating more magical weekends for us, which is what they do every March when they welcome their W15H families to the annual Celebrity Golf Classic for a reunion. And through TTF, I have met countless people who are genuinely compassionate and kind- people I will always cherish and be grateful for.

At the 2018 Celebrity Gala with Tim, Eric Church, and a few of the amazing people I’ve met because of TTF.

A W15H is so much more than a weekend trip. It’s a time for God to shine, the beginning of friendships that will last a lifetime, and it’s a reminder that even the most challenging circumstances can yield the most beautiful blessings.

Beauty Exists….

The Tim Tebow Foundation posted this when they announced my W15H, and I thought I would share it for today’s blogging quote challenge. 🙂

Smile

Usually, I don’t post for the Weekly Photo Challenge-because photography isn’t my strong suit- but when I saw this week’s prompt was smile, I had to participate, because I have the perfect picture for it.

This one.

I love this picture, not only because it forever captured the moment I met Tim Tebow, but because the smile on his face reflects how I felt in that moment: pure, complete, beautiful joy.

I’ve never felt anything quite like that before. The trip to his foundation’s Celebrity Golf Classic was a surprise birthday present from a friend, who knew how much I look up to Timmy (which is how he introduced himself). I’d wanted to meet him for years, and the moment was even more incredible than I’d always thought. The kindness and warmth he treated me with made my nerves fall away, and I knew instantly that my disability didn’t matter to him. To him, I was just Robyn.

I thought the story would end there, but it didn’t. Six months later, he and his foundation granted my W15H to spend time with him. I loved having the opportunity to talk with him, and at one point, I showed him the picture my friend had taken. He loved it too, so much that he posted it on Instagram later that night.

Over the last four years, he and his foundation have done more than grant my W15H. They’ve made me a part of their family. They’re there through everything, offering prayer, encouragement, and always showering me in so much love. This past March, they invited me to their Celebrity Gala-always held the night before the golf tournament- to interview the celebrities as they entered on the red carpet. I loved it. I talked to everyone from Mark Stuart of Audio Adrenaline to ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt to Florida’s new head football coach, Dan Mullen. And when Timmy walked in and saw me, his face lit up. He made a beeline for me, coming up to wrap me in a hug as soon as we saw each other.

That night I witnessed generosity unlike anything I’ve ever seen before as I watched a crowd of around 300 people donate 1.3 million dollars to the foundation, all of which goes towards helping kids with special needs and life threatening illnesses. I was blown away. It was beautiful to see, but to me that exemplifies what makes Timmy and his foundation so special: they put smiles on the faces of millions of people, day in and day out.

Timmy posted this of him and country singer Eric Church with some of the kids he and TTF invited to the gala.

Ascending Mount Kilamanjaro

A few months ago, I shared about Alexis, a friend of mine who is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for the Tim Tebow Foundation. She’s been planning her climb for over a year, tirelessly fundraising, training, and preparing so that when she begins to climb in February, everything goes smoothly!

To help fund her climb, Alexis entered the #ChipStarter contest, a contest sponsored by Chip and Joanna Gaines from Fixer Upper. They invited contestants to submit videos explaining their dreams; Chip and Joanna would then select three finalists to fly to Waco and pitch their dreams to them in person, and from there, they would pick one winner and invest in their dream. Alexis made a video explaining why TTF and her climb were so important to her, and then, the waiting game began. I think I was just as nervous as she was…. so you can imagine my excitement when she texted me and told me she’d been selected as a finalist! You can read all about her experience as a finalist in Waco here. (I won’t spoil the ending for you. 😉)

Earlier today, TTF shared about her climb on their social media platforms, and I wanted to share it with you, in hopes that you’ll be as inspired by her story and her dream as I am. Alexis is one of the kindest people I know, and has such a beautiful heart. No matter what I need, she’s always there, and is a complete ray of sunshine. Her faith is so strong, and she has an amazing heart for serving others and serving the Lord. It’s been such a blessing to be a part of this journey with her and help her as she fundraises for the climb, and I have no doubt that not only will God use it to help TTF, but He will use it to bring others closer to Him and demonstrate that with Him, no mountain is too tall to be climbed.

To learn more about why Alexis is climbing and see her speech to Chip and Joanna, visit this link. You can donate to her fundraiser if you wish, and also read part of a poem I wrote about how faith, hope, and love move mountains!

God Truly is in Control

To put it lightly, last week has been a roller coaster. I was so overwhelmed by college applications, schoolwork, and extracurricular activities…. the best way I can describe it is I felt like I was carrying a weight on my shoulders that I couldn’t breathe through. But as He always does, God carried me through and reminded me that He’s in control, and His plan is good and perfect.

I saw time and time again how powerful prayer is. I’m a member of our school’s Refuge Prayer Club, which meets once a week to pray and just relax in His presence before the school day begins. A friend and I both shared how we’ve been stressed and overwhelmed, and the teachers who sponsored it prayed over us, asking for His guidance as we figure out where to go for college and that we would continue to seek Him in all that we do. I opened my mouth to pray, but found myself too overcome with emotion to say so much as “thank you”. Their prayer brought me peace and gave me the strength I needed to make it through the day.

Wednesday was See You at the Pole, and it was amazing to see so many people gather to lift praise and prayer up to Him. With cars passing by and students making their way into the building, we formed a circle and one by one prayed, over each other, the school, and our nation. I felt His presence and, during those few minutes, the serenity I’d been trying so desperately to find.

Sunday, I was reminded of His goodness and perfect plan in another way: the date. It was October 1st, which marked the two year anniversary of the beginning of my W15H with Tim Tebow. Thinking about the journey which led to that magical weekend reminded me that He orchestrates each detail, no matter how small it may seem to us. This whole thing began when my sister’s softball coach told my family and I about a camp for kids with special needs she volunteers at each summer. She invited me, and my counselor, Allison, and I immediately hit it off. We’ve stayed in touch and become good friends, and I mentioned to her once that Timmy is my inspiration and it was my dream to one day meet him and tell him that. Somehow, she remembered, and when the opportunity arose to go to his foundation’s golf classic, she brought me with her as a surprise birthday present. I’m still amazed that somehow, amidst the crowd, he saw me and took time to come over and talk with me. I’ll never forget what it felt like to look at him and say, “You inspire me so much” and it was such a blessing to be able to share my story with him for just a few minutes. He impacted my life in such a profound way in just a few minutes, but little did I know, our story didn’t end there.

In becoming a part of the TTF family I’ve made friends and memories I’ll have for the rest of my life. They’re blessings I thank God for every day, and they’re living reminders that the Lord does indeed establish our steps, and He has each and every detail planned, no matter how small and insignificant it may seem to us.

I’m Anticipating…

When I first read the daily prompt, anticipate, my mind jumped to something I’ve been planning for months: a fundraiser for the Tim Tebow Foundation.

What once seemed like it would take forever to arrive is only a few days away.

Because they’ve done so much for me and my family, I wanted to give back. So last year, as a surprise for TTF, my family and I organized a spirit night at a local wing restaurant. Not knowing how many people would show up, I set a goal of a hundred dollars. The Lord, however, had other plans.

The restaurant was packed with friends, family friends, and people who had simply seen the flyer I’d put out. I was amazed by the response, and also by the generosity exhibited that night. Donations kept pouring in, and sizable ones at that. One man came with a fifty dollar check ready, and at the end of the night, a woman produced a hundred dollar bill and told me she’d brought it specifically as a donation. I was blown away. I feel like so often now you hear stories of the horrible things people do, but that night, you saw only the best human qualities: Kindness. Generosity. Humility.

The foundation recently posted this picture of me with Timmy from my W15H.

When my mom and I sat down and calculated how much we’d raised, we were overjoyed to see that not only had we hit our goal, but we’d raised over ten times that amount. I was so excited I grabbed my phone and called my TTF contact right then. She’d known nothing about what we were doing, and the pure surprise and joy in her voice was a perfect ending to a beautiful night. Timmy and everyone at the foundation were so grateful, and it felt amazing to give to people who have given me so much.

So this year, I knew we had to top it. We had to make the event even bigger; we had to raise even more. The question was, how?

My parents hit on the idea of adding a silent auction, and as soon as I heard it, I knew that was what we had to do. I made a list of local businesses I thought would be willing to help, and then created a small brochure to take to them, explaining what TTF did and why they mean so much to me. From there, my mom and I went to each place, and I did the talking. Again, I was humbled by the way the Lord lit the way and directed me to people who were more than willing to help. Only once was I unable to get what I had been looking for, and that was because I couldn’t reach the company’s corporate offices, not because someone told me no. And when a family friend heard about what had happened, she immediately offered to buy what I couldn’t get. Though it hasn’t taken place yet, the Lord has already blessed this event abundantly, and I can’t wait to see how He’ll use it to help TTF impact other children the way they’ve impacted me.

“Our Night to Shine”

I’ve always loved Rascal Flatts. They’re one of my mom’s favorite bands, and I remember riding in the back seat listening to her sing along with “Fast Cars and Freedom”. They were the first concert I attended, and last year, they honored my sweet friend Kate with a backstage tour and a serenade at one of their concerts. And now they’ve done something else that makes me love them even more: the final track on their latest album was written for the 75,000 kings and queens who attended the Tim Tebow Foundation’s Night to Shine prom.

Held on the Friday before Valentine’s Day, Night to Shine is an annual worldwide prom for people with special needs. Guests are cheered for as they enter the prom on a red carpet, and at the end of the night, each guest is crowned king or queen of the prom. I attended Night to Shine for the first time this past February, and it was such a magical night. I went with a friend of mine, and it turned out that a few other good friends of mine were there volunteering, so we all hung out and danced together! I usually don’t dance because I feel like I look strange when I dance, but that night, surrounded by people that I love and with the Lord so present, I let go of my insecurities and had a blast. The Lord was so evident in that room, and it was so beautiful to see so many people come together for such an amazing event. It was a night I’ll never forget.

To me, the song completely captures the light and beauty that is Night to Shine. It put a sound to the happiness that I felt that night, but what means the most to me is that now, so many more people know about the incredible work the foundation does. The foundation has brought faith, hope, love, and light to the lives of so many, including me, and I’m so happy that others will know about it through this song. Since being granted a W15H by the foundation in 2015, I’ve met so many incredible people and made so many amazing friends,  and the first time I listened to “Our Night to Shine”, I had to hold back tears. This song completely captured how much I love each them and how much they mean to me. Timmy, TTF, and the TTF family will always hold a special place in my heart.

To listen to “Our Night to Shine” and see highlights from Night to Shine, visit this link.

 

Kate’s Crusade: Keeping An Angel’s Light Alive

Normally, I would never ask anything of you, but this is different.

This is about keeping an angel’s light alive. It’s about making sure a little girl who spread nothing but light and sunshine will always be remembered.

Kate Amato was diagnosed at age nine with rhabdomyosarcoma, an aggressive soft tissue cancer. While most people in this situation would feel sorry for themselves and wonder why they were going through this, Kate did the opposite: she continued singing, dancing, and riding horses, and went out of her way to make others smile, always putting others before herself. She radiated light and love, and made sure everyone she came across left with a smile on their face.

I will never forget the night I met this beautiful, strong, incredibly courageous girl.

It was March 11, 2016. I had just given a speech at the Tim Tebow Foundation Celebrity Gala, and was sitting with my father, watching their live auction, when he told me to turn around. I did, and there was Kate, looking gorgeous in a blue dress and dazzling smile. She gave me the sweetest compliment on my speech, and I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her tightly. I was blown away that on a night where she was being honored as Tim’s special guest, she took time to come over and brighten my night. The thing is, though, she did more than just compliment my speech. In those few minutes, she showed me what true beauty is: a kind heart, endless positivity, and unwavering faith in the Lord, even when life is throwing everything it has at you.

I don’t think she knew how much she impacted me that night. Suddenly, the things I worried about no longer seemed to matter. What right did I have to get frustrated and upset when my cerebral palsy prevented me from doing something, when there was a little girl fighting for her life in a hospital room? Who cared that people stared at my walker, when Kate was going through so much more than I ever had, and never let it get her down? Kate did more than just compliment my writing that night. She became my strength, my encouragement, and my inspiration.

On November 30, 2016, Kate went home to be with the Lord. She left behind a legacy of kindness, light, and love, and will live on in the hearts of those she touched. I will forever remember and love the little girl who showed me such genuine kindness and love. Now, I ask for your help in making sure her light continues to shine.

Her mother recently shared that Dr. Tim Cripe, Kate’s clinical oncologist, has created “Kate’s Crusade”, a video game in which cancer patients can fight their cancer virtually. In Dr. Cripe’s words:  “This game will be fun, but more importantly it will help kids fight their cancer. Studies have shown that imagery can help heal disease, and with this game cancer patients will be able to visualize their cancer and be the one who attacks it… To personalize the game, we will create several different versions, and players will be able to choose options that match their situation – leukemia, cancer in the leg bone, or the lungs, or the brain. They will then be able to attack it with a variety of options that simulate real-life chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery. There will also be experimental treatments available. If they are too slow, the cancer will grow, in which case they will receive video instructions from a doctor onscreen about things to do differently. The game won’t end until the patient is cancer free!”

He has set up a Kickstarter fundraising page, and to date, has raised $7,558 for the project. While this is a good deal of money, the project must be funded in its entirety by April 30th, or it will not exist. I ask that you would consider donating, to help all of the incredible kids who battle this horrible disease, and to honor sweet Kate, who touched the lives of thousands in her eleven years.

To learn more about Kate, you can visit her Facebook page.