Terry Gets The Wish Of A Lifetime In Yellowstone

Jennifer Baier

This summer, I had the opportunity to accompany Paul Terry, a 78-year-old Cheyenne resident, on his Wish of a Lifetime trip to Yellowstone National Park. Wish of a Lifetime is a charitable affiliate of AARP that grants life-changing wishes to older adults and aims to redefine aging in America.

Paul is known by many in Cheyenne for his friendly presence around town and often shares Hershey’s Kisses and dog treats from his all-terrain walker as he racks up 10-20k steps a day walking around Lions Park.

He joined our newly formed AARP Mall Walking group this spring and became a beloved member. During one of our walks, Paul mentioned his dream of visiting Yellowstone. He’d been through it once as a child with his father, who didn’t make any stops but pointed out interesting features. Since then, Paul has wanted to return and truly experience the park. The walking club and I nominated Paul for a wish, and after a thorough vetting process, Paul's wish was approved. I was honored to accompany him on this journey.

Our adventure began with a send-off at AARP Wyoming’s offices in Cheyenne, where we took silly photos at our photo booth and played Yellowstone Trivia. Paul’s friends and fellow mall walkers shared their best road trip advice. After that, we were off, and over the next week, we explored the breathtaking landscapes of Yellowstone, including Old Faithful, the Grand Prismatic Spring, geysers, and Yellowstone Lake.

Paul was in awe of the natural beauty and said he "wanted to see it all." We usually left before dawn and returned just before sunset, spending all day in the park. In all, we drove 1500 miles over five days. Paul walked, scooted, and rode through as many of the park's trails and sights as we could fit in.

I learned pretty quickly that Paul is a master road-tripper. He spent many years logging and had tons of practical advice and tools for our journey. Initially, I thought his “adjustable shower rack turned clothes hanger” across the back of the van was a bit much, but swapping layers was a breeze as we experienced temps from 50 to 90. The 12-volt cooler he brought along kept our drinks cold and saved us tons of money. I immediately purchased one myself upon return from the park!

One of the trip's highlights was the sense of community we felt. Paul met many people along the way and shared his story with them. It was heartwarming to see how his journey inspired others and the friends he made along the way. Hikers cheered him on, rangers shared stories and advice, and kids loved getting candy from him, because of course he brought it along to share as he walked.

If you know someone over 65 who wants to fulfill a dream, consider nominating them for a Wish of a Lifetime. The process involves a thorough vetting by a committee, and selected wishes are then assigned a Wish Specialist to coordinate the experience. To nominate someone, visit wishofalifetime.org and fill out the nomination form.