Eutawville boy’s pontoon boat wish comes true

Stanley battles a life-threatening nervous system disorder, so much of his time is spent at doctor’s appointments and carefully controlled activities. But what makes Stanley happiest is being on the water. Feeling the wind blow on his face from across the water helps him feel carefree, and when able to get into the water, his muscles are soothed.

Stanley was referred for a wish to Make-A-Wish South Carolina. The organization creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Together with donors, volunteers, and partners, like Bentley Pontoons, the organization can fulfill heartfelt wishes that can be a turning point in a child’s battle against their illness. In many cases, the hope created by a wish-come-true can help a child feel stronger and fight harder.

Because of Stanley’s love of water, he wished to have a pontoon boat. Make-A-Wish South Carolina reached out to Bentley Pontoons to see if they could help, and they answered the call in a big way.

Bentley Pontoons helped provide a 180 Cruise LE pontoon for Stanley to enjoy with his family. The pontoon seats 8 people so Stanley can have his whole family with him on outings.

Amanda Osborne, VP of mission advancement for Make-A-Wish South Carolina says that partnerships like the one with Bentley Pontoons makes more wishes possible.

“Make-A-Wish relies on individual and corporate donors to fund wishes. Partners like Bentley Pontoons make an incredible contribution by providing significant discounts on services and goods that fulfill wishes. With their help, we can grant a child’s wish faster, therefore providing hope quickly, when they need it most. We are extremely grateful for Bentley Pontoons’ partnership.”

“The Bentley Pontoons family is extremely honored to have had the opportunity to be a part of something so special,” said Ryan Marcott, CEO, Bentley Pontoons. “The Make-A-Wish foundation is a partnership that we value within our organization, and we are happy to be in the position to help out.”

“When we heard about Stanley and his wish for a pontoon boat, we knew that we needed to help grant his wish,” said Tedd Moore, SE Regional Sales Manager, Bentley Pontoons. “With the help of Berkeley Outdoors of Columbia, we made Stanley’s wish come true and the smile on his face brought us so much joy. We can’t wait to hear more stories of Stanley’s adventures with his new boat.”

Stanley wasted no time enjoying his new pontoon. After a festive reveal where he received his pontoon surrounded by family and friends, his family headed straight to the lake. Stanley was all smiles and told his mom he was “so happy.”