I am a junior at LHS. I love to play sports; my favorites are basketball and golf. I also love art. I have two pets,  a beagle, and I have a rabbit. Good combo. I have a chronic medical condition called Spina Bifida. I have had around 25 major surgeries, and many complications, which brings me to why I got a wish. Now I would like to tell you a little about my Make A Wish trip.

First, I found out by going to my favorite restaurant, Outback, and I thought it was going to be for me getting good grades on my midterm exam. So we went into the restaurant and there were reservations made. Then my dad, mom , brother and I went over to the table and a lot of people were there. I did not make the connection at first but after a few minutes one of my wish granters asked me if I knew what this was for . I said no. Then I started to recognize the huge Make A wish banner on the wall.  So my wish granter told me my wish is coming true. I did not know what it was until she showed me a booklet that said, “Tyler Meets Bobby Flay.” I Finally got my wish. I could not believe this  was happening.

So on January 22-24, 2015 I was going to New York City to meet Bobby Flay. He is a Food Network star.  On the 22nd, a limo came to our house and took us to NYC. We stayed at a very nice hotel. The same night we got there, we went to the Empire State Building. We went up to the 86th floor. I could see everything from up there.

So the next day, the 23rd of January, was my wish day. I was going to meet Bobby Flay that day. We took the limo over to the set of Bobby’s new T.V show “Beat Bobby Flay.” We had to wait a while until they told us we could go on the set because they were finishing a show. It felt like forever until they told us we could go in to the set. When we got there, I was up in the stands, but I could see Bobby Flay on the set. So first, two professional chefs went head to head, and the winner went up against Bobby. It was so cool; I got to watch Bobby cook from 10 feet away. All of a sudden, the director came up to the audience and told me to come down to the set. I did not know what was happening at first. When we got down there, Bobby was waiting for me. I couldn’t believe I was standing face to face with Bobby Flay. Bobby told me to finish his dish, “Steak and Potatoes.” He showed me the proper way to plate and garnish a dish. Then he gave me a high five.Then we went back up to the audience, and  we watched the rest of the show.   At the end of the show, he gave me a thumbs up and then Bobby Flay was announced the winner!  I could not believe that I helped Bobby Flay to victory!!! After the show, Bobby gave me a gift bag and inside it were three signed cookbooks and Beat Bobby Flay shirts. I cannot believe this day actually happened.

After the show, we got back in the limo and went to Bobby Flay’s restaurant, Bar Americain.  The food was awesome!  We had everything from appetizers to dessert!  After dinner, the limo took us back to the hotel, and I was still so excited I could not sleep all night!  The next day the limo drove us home.

Tyler Allyn