Fort Pierce Youngster Selects White’s Tackle Shopping Spree for Make A Wish

By Ed Killer for CAM

Most Florida teens can enjoy their summers by skateboarding, fishing, going to the beach or kayaking in the Indian River Lagoon. Brandon Reed, 15, of Fort Pierce spends his free time getting cancer treatments.

Reed, an enthusiastic skateboarder and eager angler, was engaged in his favorite activities, in between completing his schoolwork, in November of 2022 when he noticed a strange lump on his left arm. After visiting a walk-in clinic, they sent him to a hospital to seek further examination where it was discovered the lump was a type of cancer. Treatment began in December 2022 and has been working according to plan, according to Devon Reed, Reed’s mother.

Enter Make A Wish Foundation. The organization that helps children with life-altering illnesses reached out to the Reed family to offer their services in helping Brandon achieve a lifelong dream of his. But Reed respectfully declined, telling them to offer their services elsewhere because in his opinion he has everything he needs.

His magnanimous attitude caused Make A Wish to come back at a later date very motivated to provide something for him. A trip to Alaska to fish for halibut? A tuna trip off Southern California? He was asked to submit three requests to see if the organization could provide any. He came back with the same request three times: A shopping spree at White’s Tackle in Fort Pierce.

June 16, Reed was joined by his family and friends at the Fort Pierce shop with a $4,000 budget for fishing tackle, gear and other merchandise. He was transported by Cisco Limo of West Palm Beach to the store where he has already been a longtime customer.

Reed spent the next few hours picking out reels, a cast net, lures and bait buckets. No Live Bait Needed donated soft jigs and jerk baits and White’s Tackle donated a Yeti cooler.

Reed and his posse of friends said they plan to fish for 40-inch snook, 100-pound tarpon and 300-pound goliath grouper with his newly purchased gear. Reed already has a small skiff and when he’s not tired and sick from treatments, he’s out pursuing the fish he loves.