MANSFIELD — Aaron Issler is only 18, but he’s already fought and won an intense battle.
The teen from Prospect, Ohio, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma during his junior year of high school.
“He literally just woke up one day and his neck was swollen,” said his mother Danyelle. “We kind of waited it out a few weeks and it didn’t really go down.”
Issler had a biopsy done in April 2020 and got the results back a week later. He underwent four rounds of chemotherapy in less than three months.
While he was receiving chemotherapy treatment, hospital employees connected his family with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Issler thought long and hard about what his greatest wish would be. In the end, he chose to ask the foundation for a fishing boat.
“I think he just loves being out on the water,” Danyelle said. “He loves the game of catching fish, the thrill of it. He generally goes with his best friends or his dad or neighbors, so I think he enjoys the comradiere that comes with being out on the water with his friends and family.”
Issler and his father, Jim, had joined family friends on an annual fishing trip for the last three or four years, but the family had never had a boat to call their own.
Issler finally received his boat from Charles Mill Marina earlier this month.
“Aaron is a very quiet individual. He doesn’t get all worked up or excited about a lot of things, but the smile on his face said everything to us,” Danyelle said. “He was literally grinning from ear to ear. He was ecstatic.”
Finding a fishing vessel wasn’t easy. Factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic had caused an industry-wide shortage.
“It is a combination of shorter inventory than usual and extreme demand due to outdoor activities being an option throughout the pandemic,” said Mike Walker, the sales manager at Charles Mill.
“Charles Mill Marina has been in business for around 50 years. We’ve never had a situation where we’ve run out of boats, motors and trailers and we have been out of all three regularly for the last year,” he added. “As soon as we get something, it’s sold.”
Employees at Make-A-Wish spent months calling marinas around the Great Lakes region in search of a boat. Then the Isslers saw one pop up on Charles Mill’s website.
The gently-used 16 footer was the only boat for sale that Charles Mill had in stock.
“Make-A-Wish gave us a call and purchased the boat kind of on the spot because it was exactly what they were looking for,” Walker said. “Sometimes things just line up really nice and that’s what happened.”
The family came to pick up the boat about two weeks ago. Issler is now the proud owner of a Starcraft Patriot DLX 16 fishing boat, complete with a 25-horsepower Yamaha outboard and a Minnkota trolling motor. The marina also provided Issler with an $180 gift card for fishing tackle and equipment.
“We’re so grateful to Charles Mill Marina for helping make Aaron’s wish for a bass boat a reality,” said Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana President & CEO Stephanie McCormick. “We couldn’t grant life-changing wishes for kids like him without community partners like Charles Mill Marina.”
Bob Schraedly, the owner of the marina, said it was a special day for all involved.
“When Make-A-Wish approached us about helping make this dream into a reality it was something that we were all very enthusiastic about,” Schraedly said. “Boating and fishing are a great way to spend time outdoors, making memories with family. We know that Aaron and his family are going to have a great time with their new boat.”
Issler is currently in remission and doing well, his mother said. He’ll still have to get regular scans, but life otherwise is returning to normal.
He’s spending this weekend in Michigan, fishing with his father on the new boat.
Danyelle believes the dream of his own fishing boat helped him get through treatment.
“He’s super appreciative,” she said. “Given what he went through, this was able to provide him with a little bit of joy and bring some light to his dark times.”
