Make-A-Wish recipient with Cystic Fibrosis goes on Cabella’s shopping spree

The Make-A-Wish Foundation gifted Gabriel Blake Holland some supplies from his favorite fishing and hunting store.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – A Bath County teen is living with an incurable lung disease called cystic fibrosis, a rare, progressive, and life-threatening condition that effects your breathing. Recently, the Make-A-Wish Foundation gifted him some supplies from his favorite fishing and hunting store. 14 year old Gabriel Blake Holland is making his list and checking it twice with the help of family and Cabella’s staff.

“Hunting fishing mainly its my favorite thing,” says Holland.

The Bath County native has an incurable condition that prevents him from doing much of what he loves. His great grandmother Cathy Toy says he was originally diagnosed with Asthma, but eventually doctors figured out it was something more serious.

“They did a sweat test and it came back positive so that’s how we know that he had Cystic Fibrosis,” explains Toy.

According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, more than 30,000 children and adults have CF, which causes mucus to clog the airways and trap germs leading to infections, inflammation, respiratory failure and your ability to breathe over time. For a lot of his childhood., Holland, an active kid and hunter at heart had to stay indoors.

“We would walk with his iv’s all over the hospital,” recalls Toy.

Holland says doctors gave him a special treatment two years ago to help with symptoms. After starting medication, his lung function improved and he put on about 40 pounds of healthy weight. It wasn’t long before Holland could do things like run down a hill for the first time.

“It was like a miracle because he had the flu and then he’s a diabetic and that went sky high. He’s come a long ways,” says Toy.

Because there’s still no known cure, Holland has to take medication daily and has a safety vest. Thanks to Make-A-Wish, there’s more in store for Holland on his journey. including Cabella’s. This month, Holland was granted 5,000 dollars to spend at the outdoor and hunting store where he filled his cart with camping items. Looking back, Holland says having his family with him to help hunt down items on his list was the best part of it all.