Memorial Jamboree to honor Yantis boy

Posted 9/14/16

There is a special day coming up soon in Yantis. The First Annual Dominic Ayala Memorial Jamboree has been set for Saturday, October 8, on the grounds of Yantis Independent School District (YISD) in …

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Memorial Jamboree to honor Yantis boy

Posted

There is a special day coming up soon in Yantis. The First Annual Dominic Ayala Memorial Jamboree has been set for Saturday, October 8, on the grounds of Yantis Independent School District (YISD) in the old concession stand area. All proceeds from the jamboree will go to non-profit organization Texas Hunt for the Cure, an organization founded in 2012 to help fulfill final wishes of a child who dreams of that memorable trophy hunt or unforgettable fishing trip while they still have time left.

The jamboree begins at 5 p.m. will feature live entertainment from country music award winner Don Woods, a stew contest, live auction and bounce houses along with a special appearance from Heroes, Cops and Kids.

Dominic Ayala, Yantis, passed away May 21 after almost four years of fighting Neuroblastoma, a solid tumor cancer found in children. He was diagnosed at the age of two with stage four of the cancer and began treatments which included numerous rounds of chemotherapy, surgeries, stem cell harvest and transplant, months of immune-therapy and radiation. After completing numerous treatments he went into remission. On his fifth birthday, after months of remission, Dominic was rushed to Dallas with severe leg pains.

After scans were done, it was found he had relapsed and cancer had spread throughout his body, including his skull. He was given a three percent chance of survival. He fought hard, but in January it was determined he would begin all natural therapies including supplements, ozone therapy and a strict diet while continuing oral chemotherapy.

The young patient won the hearts of many over the years of his struggle. Dominic found comfort in all things about fishing. According to his parents, Juan and Tammy Ayala, as Dominic was being administered chemotherapy, he would fish from his bed in a bucket of water with fishing lures.

In April, just weeks before he passed away, Dominic was able to go on a special fishing trip through Texas Hunt for a Cure. Because of the time and effort of the organization, the memorial jamboree was established to raise funds for Texas Hunt for a Cure.

Dominic’s uncle, Nathan Crist was able to go on the trip with Dominic, his father Juan and older brother Matthew Crayton. “I was fortunate to be able to go on the fishing trip with them at Lake Tawakoni with guide Randy Parker. You can’t imagine what a great thing this is for the kids in these situations,” Crist said. “It was an experience I will never forget. You can see just how important the trips are for these kids. It is simply amazing what it does for a sick kid.”

Texas Hunt for a Cure is a registered 501 (c) (3) founded in 2012 in memory of Derek Cline who was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma cancer in 2009 and passed away in 2012 at the age of 22. In his final months Cline’s only wish was to hunt for a last great trophy ram. While helping him realize his dream, an idea for an organization was born to help others facing a chronic or terminal medical condition or life altering injury.

Texas Hunt for the Cure is staffed entirely by volunteers, has no paid employees and as a result every dollar received goes to funding a trip for a child or young adult in the program.