Tim Tebow Makes a Wish Come True and Then Some for a Tennessee Teenage Girl

Aimee Herd : Sep 3, 2014
Kimberly Yam – Huffington Post

"I've never had people take time out of their lives like this before. [Tim] told me, 'When things get tough... only two things really matter: loving Jesus and loving people.' It's true." -Haley Burke

According to 18-year-old Haley Burke of Kingsport, Tennessee, Tim Tebow went over and above in granting her wish to meet the well-known athlete; he became her encourager.

Haley has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome which is a life-threatening disease that affects the connective tissue.

The Kingsford-Times news reported that Haley—a huge Tebow fan—had made known to the Make-a-Wish Foundation her desire to meet Tim back in 2011.

Eventually, Haley's wish was made known to the Tim Tebow Foundation, and the excited teen soon found herself on a plane headed for an adventure with Tebow himself.

Tebow—who is now a commentator with the SEC football network while keeping in shape just in case a QB job opens up for him in the NFL—flew Haley and her family to Scottsdale, AZ, last month.

According to the Huffington Post report and People magazine, Tim put them up in a presidential suite at a resort, giving her a spa day and a helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon.

Then Haley attended a work-out session with Tebow, and threw out the first pitch at an Arizona Diamondbacks game.

But the teen says the highlight for her was when Tim joined her for dinner.

Haley told the Times-News, "He came up behind me and put his hands on my shoulders and asked me if I cared if he had dinner with me. I was ecstatic!"

And it appears that Haley's visit with Tim had that 'Tebow' effect...

"My time with Tim has made me feel more confident and more encouraged to keep going," Haley said, according to Huffington Post. "So many times you feel that it is just too hard to get through one more day. But now that I've met him and he's given me such encouragement, it just makes me want to keep fighting."

Kudos to Tim Tebow for going out of his way to accomplish just what his foundation's mission statement says; "bringing faith, hope and love to those who need a brighter day."

But then... I'm not surprised!

In a Tim Tebow Foundation video depicting Haley's experience, she remarks, "I've never had people take time out of their lives like this before. [Tim] told me, 'When things get tough... only two things really matter: loving Jesus and loving people.' It's true."

Watch the video by clicking here.