I am a Cystic Fibrosis patient who resides in North Carolina. In all my experiences as a Cystic Fibrosis scholarship applicant I never would have thought this scholarship would consider me. One of the main reasons is because there are normally a lot of applicants so it makes it competitive, and I am sure applicants if chosen it would have been that they stood out from the rest! I count it a privilege to be a recipient of the Dylan’s Dream Scholarship. This experience was and still is a God sent! I am still in aww because this scholarship has done so much. It is a great ordeal when you are dealing with physical challenges as a CF patient. Not only that but I was dealing with my brother’s death last year and of course financial challenges. I am a college student and it affected me a great deal! But one fact about me and two for certain I do not give up easily! I try and explore every option, avenue, idea, to the very last. Above all I pray because that has always been my go-to since I knew how to pray! God is so good! I am just so grateful! This scholarship has helped me so much and still helping me as I continue through this semester! I am a fighter and I do not intend on giving up on myself nor having pity! This scholarship has encouraged me to keep going and pursue my dreams and goals that I yet will obtain. I thank Dylan’s Dream for giving a woman like me a chance to continue striving for my dreams. So that one day I can reach back and pour into others as well. To let them know that there is still hope and you can still strive in what you want. Blessings may not come in the form, shape, size, or people we may think but when it comes oh what an experience! Thank you, Dylan’s Dream, for this scholarship that is yet encouraging me to continue to not just dream but pursue it and live the dream! 

My wife, Michelle, and I are currently helping our son, Benjamin, pack for his freshman year at Taylor University. As you can imagine, this is an emotional time for our family. Watching him take this step toward independence is something we weren’t sure would ever be possible when he was a young kid struggling with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Now, by the grace of God, he is preparing to start college—something we see as such a tremendous blessing.

As Ben’s health improved in high school and college became a reality, we began the daunting task of trying to figure out how to pay for it. We have six children, and our oldest was able to attend college through an ROTC scholarship. Unfortunately, because of Ben’s CF, a military scholarship wasn’t an option for him. We had heard that scholarships for CF students existed, but once we started applying, we realized how competitive they are.

Ben was accepted to Purdue University with a generous academic scholarship, but his heart was set on attending a Christian college. As his parents, we were praying God would open a door financially so that dream could become a reality. When Ben received the email that he had been awarded the Dylan’s Dream Scholarship, it was such an encouraging moment! It began to close the financial gap between public and private education and gave us real hope that Taylor University could be a possibility.

Since then, Ben has received several local scholarships, and—by God’s grace—his first year at Taylor is now actually more affordable than attending Purdue. We truly see this as an answer to prayer and are overwhelmed with gratitude that he will get to experience such an incredible Christian community during college.

The Dylan’s Dream Scholarship did more than just help pay for school. It gave Ben confidence that his dream could become a reality. When he first saw your website and realized that Dylan had also been part of Tim Tebow’s W15H Program, he felt an immediate connection. Ben takes very seriously the responsibility of carrying on Dylan’s legacy and is honored to be one of the students supported by your foundation.

Thank you for everything you are doing to support students with CF. We are forever grateful.

With blessings and heartfelt thanks,