Panthers Host Three Make-A-Wish® Alumni and Mt. Olive Pickles at Back Together Saturday
The Carolina Panthers, in partnership with Mt. Olive Pickle Company, recently hosted three legendary Make-A-Wish alumni for Back Together Saturday Training Camp at Bank of America Stadium.
Mt. Olive is proud to be a national partner of Make-A-Wish and the official pickle and pickle juice of the Carolina Panthers.
Mt. Olive announced a partnership with Make-A-Wish in 2020 and continues helping Make-A-Wish fulfill its mission of creating life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. We chose to support Make-A-Wish because through its wish-granting, children are given a sense of anticipation for something positive and empowering in their lives.
As partners with both the Carolina Panthers and Make-A-Wish, our leadership teams saw an opportunity to bring together and recognize three local wish alumni at Back Together Saturday Training Camp. This opportunity was a chance to show the impact of a wish and how these amazing wish legends have persevered since their Panthers wishes were granted years ago.
These alumni wishes had a deep impact on Panthers fans, staff, and players. This impact inspired the Panthers organization to reconnect Wish alumni with the Panthers Legends that were present for their wishes in 2010, 2015 & 2018: Jonathan Stewart, Tre Boston, and Thomas Davis.
Saturday, July 27th, 2024 started with an action-packed sizzle tunnel welcome featuring the Top Cats, Purrcussion, and the Black and Blue Crew. Excitement and happiness roared through the air as wish alumni Kyleigh, Adam, and Braylon entered the stadium.
Wish alumni Kyleigh had her wish to become a Panthers football player granted in 2018. Kyleigh is affected by congenital generalized lipodystrophy, a rare condition that causes severe heart, liver, and kidney damage. GCL only affects 1 in 10 million people worldwide. Despite this chronic lifelong battle, she has achieved success on and off the field as a national wrestling champion and is currently a college student. She maintains a strength that every NFL player would envy. Her resilience paired with her humble, kind nature make her a one-of-a-kind wish alumni.
Wish alumni Adam was born with spina bifida, but he hasn’t let that stop him from shining like a star. Adam had his wish to become a Panthers player granted in 2010 when he was the #1 draft pick. He has spent the last 14 years building his own athletic career as a wheelchair basketball athlete. Adam is a three-time national champion in wheelchair basketball, and he has recently accepted a full athletic scholarship to Auburn University. Despite the adversities he has faced, wish alumni Adam continues to dominate and show us all an example of how perseverance and true talent are unstoppable when combined.
Adam’s experience with Make-A-Wish inspired his father, Greg Smith, the Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Mt. Olive Pickle Co., to pursue the national Make-A-Wish sponsorship creation in 2020 and help raise money to fund wishes for more kids like Adam.
“This experience was one of the best days of my life. Our partnerships with the Carolina Panthers and Make-A-Wish are both so inspiring, and they came together perfectly as we celebrated the good that Make-A-Wish does for so many children and families. Mt. Olive is proud to be associated with these two great organizations, and we all share the passion of positively impacting the lives of kids with life threatening illnesses. As the father of a Wish kid, I have seen firsthand the amazing healing power of a wish granted. As a business leader and a father, I am thankful to have been a part of this amazingly special day,” said Greg.
Wish alumni Braylon became a true legend while battling a brain tumor and simultaneously spreading joy and positivity through his viral dance moves despite ongoing cancer treatment. Braylon received his Wish in 2015, when he became an honorary Panthers coach during Fan Fest. He has beaten the odds and is a flourishing 10th grader at East Lincoln High School, where he participates on the football, wrestling, and track teams. His smile and uplifting good vibes are contagious, and he is truly a wish legend.
Despite all of the struggles and challenges in their lives, these three wish alumni have chosen to Keep Pounding, and they truly inspire us.
We spent the day celebrating these wish alumni as they were honored on and off the field, spending time with Panthers Legends Jonathan Stewart, Thomas Davis, and Tre Boston.
Why do wishes matter? The special moments of joy make a real difference. In fact, a wish is an integral part of a child’s treatment journey. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight a serious illness. It’s an experience that can help them live with, or even overcome, their illnesses. Together, Make-A-Wish and Mt. Olive Pickle Company are on a quest to bring every eligible child’s wish to life.
The Carolina Panthers organization went above and beyond to host the wish alumni, and we thank them for all that they do for wish kids and their families. We look forward to continuing our official partnership with the Panthers and participating in future events together.