West Virginia Wildlife from Eyewitness News

Catch A Dream

One child's dream becomes a reality thanks to a great organization!

October 18, 2006
Reporter: Patrick McMurtry
Videographer: Brad Rice

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Ask a kid what they want to do more than anything else in the world and you'll get a lot of different answers....Go to Disney World, meet a sports star or maybe be in a parade. Not Isaac Ryan. He wants to go fishing.

"What do you want to catch today? 100lb catfish. 100lb catfish? All right!"

Isaac Ryan might not get many more chances to fish, he has terminal lukemia. That's where the folks at catch a dream come in. They hook up kids with a chance to make their dreams come true.

Debra Ryan/Isaac's mom says:
"Yesterday they came here before anyone was here. They really made a fuss over him and he was wore out by the time he came back. He was pretty excited.

"Is that where we're fishing?"

"He's been off treatment for a year, I'm not sure he knows why he gets to do it, but he's had a blast, it's been very, very nice."

"Wanna pet it? It's slimy, that's wierd, I wanna throw him in, I wanna throw him in."

One of Debra's friends had heard about the Catch a Dream program. Similar to Make A Wish, this organization lets kids go hunting or fishing. It also makes memories.

Galo Grosinske/Catch a Dream says:
"If they were home, they'd be doing different things and so this way the whole family is together for a few days, a few minutes and hopefully he's not thinking about some of the problems he has."

Right now, the only problem Isaac has is which worm to use.

"See Michael, look at him, he's a big one."

Paul Noechel is a professional fisherman. He's also Isaac's host for this special weekend. And to Paul, this is personal.

Paul Noechel/Professional Angler says:
"Years ago, I lost my daughter to cancer and this is a very special way to do something for someone that I understand about. They did not know about this. This was put together by a higher power."

Debra Ryan/Isaac's mom says:
"He was in a blackhawk yesterday and he got to sit in that. He caught a catfish, it's grown since yesterday if you ask him how big it was. They brought him out here by himself and had just put the catfish in. He'll remember it and the fish will get bigger as the days go on."

For Isaac, for his family, for Galo and Paul, for one weekend at least, there was no lukemia, only fish that were biting for two special days that made up something nobody involved will ever for forget. I know I won't. Keep fighting, Isaac.