 My name is Kyle Wyss and I am from Melrose, WI. My friends may think that I am lucky that I've been able to hunt the animals that I have been hunting. Unfortunately, I wouldn't call it luck. On December 7, 2004, I was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a cancerous brain tumor. I had just turned 13; had a successful deer hunting season 2 weeks prior to being diagnosed with cancer. Little did I know at the time what was going to happen and how it would change my life forever.
Not only did I enjoy hunting, I also loved playing soccer, football and basketball. After surgery, I stayed in the hospital for 3 months undergoing a lot of therapy and 6 weeks of radiation. This sounds like a lot for a teenager to undergo, but for me it was only the beginning of what was yet to come. Because of where my tumor was located, I lost all of my motor skills and my speaking ability. I had to relearn the simple and the complex things that most of us take advantage of everyday. Once out of the hospital, the therapy continued along with 9 rounds of chemotherapy. I finally finished in January of 2006. What an awesome feeling!
The year of 2006 was like a new beginning for me. As I started to focus on being able to walk again, I also was able to be a part of the best hunts ever. Cancer might have taken away my motor skills but USSA gave me back the reason to want to move forward. I was fortunate enough to be able to hunt pheasants, turkey and the best hunt of all---a bear hunt.
When I was able to start hunting again, I was still in a wheel chair but that didn't matter. The guide would adapt to my situation and do what was necessary to get me to the woods. If you have a will to go hunting, don't let a wheel chair, an illness or any type of disability stand in your way. Hunting is what kept me and continues to keeps me going. I have met some amazing new friends thru the USSA. We might not all have cancer in common, but we all have hunting in common. When a group of us are together, it doesn't matter if you are different than normal kids because each and every one of us has something different that has allowed us to be a part of USSA.
Oh yeah, in case you are wondering, the therapy was worth it in the end. I can now walk unassisted and I continue to move forward trying to overcome my disabilities. I might be a little different because of my cancer diagnosis, but it doesn't stand in the way of wanting to be a normal teenager. One thing that I've learned because of all of this is that even when you are feeling down, NEVER, NEVER, EVER GIVE UP! Trust me, I had many moments where I didn't want to move forward, but I am so glad that I did.
USSA has given me many chances of a lifetime that most adults may never experience. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me a part of my life back that for a while I didn't think would ever exist again. If you’re wondering if USSA is a good charity to be involved with, don't hesitate to join because it certainly gave me a will to live; the courage to keep working hard and some fantastic memories that will last a lifetime. I don't consider myself 'lucky' by any means that I've been able to do the hunts that I have but I do feel very fortunate that I am a part of the USSA charity. Thank you for helping me overcome a very difficult time in my life.
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