David Cain had always dreamed of catching a tarpon on the fly. The powerful, air-breathing fish was a prized catch for any angler, but especially those who practiced the artful discipline of fly fishing. For years, David had imagined the intense fight, the somersaulting leaps, and the thrill of finally bringing one of these silver kings to hand.

When David was diagnosed with a brain tumor, his odds of realizing this lifelong dream seemed to diminish. But the Jose Wejebe Spanish Fly Memorial Foundation caught wind of David’s story and made it their mission to make his tarpon dream a reality.

They arranged for David, his mentor and world renown marine artist Dave Wirth, and his mother Sherry to travel to the Florida Keys for a week-long adventure. They swam with dolphins, toured the turtle hospital, and even had offshore fishing trips with Captain James Taylor. But the centerpiece was a three-day tarpon quest on the flats with fly-fishing guide Grif Helwig.

The first two days were exercises in persistence and frustration. David had over 80 shots at tarpon, but the notoriously fickle fish refused his flies each time. As the final day dawned, the pressure was on.

But Grif’s expertise paid off when David’s fly enticingly danced over a prowling tarpon. The eat was explosive, the fight epic. After jumping again and again, the tarpon at last gave up its bid for freedom. David’s dream was realized as the prized catch was carefully revived and released.

In a whirlwind of emotion, David and his mom could scarcely comprehend the magnitude of what the Jose Wejebe Spanish Fly Memorial Foundation had given them – not just the fish of a lifetime, but a much-needed reprieve filled with joy, excitement, and lifetime memories. As Sherry eloquently put it, it was a “wonderful, loving, caring bubble” in the midst of their struggles – a priceless gift of quality time together as a family.

The philosophy behind the Jose Wejebe Spanish Fly Memorial Foundation is that no dream is too big when you have friends to support you. For David Cain, their generosity and effort created an ultimate tarpon experience that will be forever cherished.