By DC Cueva
@DC408Dxtr
We are heading towards the homestretch of what has been an eventful year for me as an MTV fan. This year, I've been following several MTV shows, including a rejuvenated Real World which revamped their format with Ex-Plosion earlier this year and Season 30 coming up on December 16th; The Challenge: Free Agents taking place over the spring, and the passings of both Challenge veteran Diem Brown and Real World funny guy Ryan Knight.
But the year's biggest breakout story is definitely Are You The One?. It caught my attention the very moment the buzz started almost 12 months ago and has never let go. With its mix of drama, romance, love and money, it struck a cord with everyone. And for me, it's become my new favorite show, thanks to the incredible first season whose cast won the largest prize in MTV history in $1 million - one of my favorite moments in what's been the best year yet for me in social world - and the current second season in Puerto Rico that I'm enjoying just as intently as the first one.
But as we anticipate the season finale on Monday as the show's second cast of 21 single girls & guys have one last chance to get it all right and etch their name into history after what's been an amazing season up to this point, we'd like to share with you a story that might be related in a way to this incredible show and features one of its cast members, but also teaches us once again that life and family should always take precedent over a reality TV show. And just in time for the holidays, this story is something that's just as very heartwarming as the fire in the fireplace during this cold of winter.
@DC408Dxtr
We are heading towards the homestretch of what has been an eventful year for me as an MTV fan. This year, I've been following several MTV shows, including a rejuvenated Real World which revamped their format with Ex-Plosion earlier this year and Season 30 coming up on December 16th; The Challenge: Free Agents taking place over the spring, and the passings of both Challenge veteran Diem Brown and Real World funny guy Ryan Knight.
But the year's biggest breakout story is definitely Are You The One?. It caught my attention the very moment the buzz started almost 12 months ago and has never let go. With its mix of drama, romance, love and money, it struck a cord with everyone. And for me, it's become my new favorite show, thanks to the incredible first season whose cast won the largest prize in MTV history in $1 million - one of my favorite moments in what's been the best year yet for me in social world - and the current second season in Puerto Rico that I'm enjoying just as intently as the first one.
But as we anticipate the season finale on Monday as the show's second cast of 21 single girls & guys have one last chance to get it all right and etch their name into history after what's been an amazing season up to this point, we'd like to share with you a story that might be related in a way to this incredible show and features one of its cast members, but also teaches us once again that life and family should always take precedent over a reality TV show. And just in time for the holidays, this story is something that's just as very heartwarming as the fire in the fireplace during this cold of winter.
If you watched Episode 5 of Season Two a few weeks back, you saw the shocked expression on the face of Shelby when she and Curtis found that they were the group's 2nd perfect match. That stunning moment broke up his budding relationship with Briana, who everyone thought was his match until that first matchup blackout. Well, Shelby might have something in common with what happened last season to one of the Originals in the very first season in Hawaii earlier this year.
Paige, that blonde college girl from Phoenix, AZ (and a Victoria, BC, Canada native), was part of the surprise 2nd perfect match with Chris T., which also separated him from his love from the start, Shanley, and whose reaction to the match led to both the season's biggest fight and paved the way for the group's run to $1 million. And though support for her since season 1 and their reunion has diminished, there is a story about Paige that's actually very positive that felt worthy enough for me to share with you here.
If you check out Paige's Instagram hub (IG @PaigeBrendel) and scroll down through her pictures including some with her BFF Kayla, you'll find four pictures of someone who she discovered during the time she and her season 1 cast were busy rewriting MTV history. Along the way, she, like others in the Phoenix area, discovered Brett Wallick, a 15 year-old young man who has a great loving personality and is well-liked by all of his friends and family.
But while he was taking finals at Sunrise Mountain High School in the suburb of Peoria almost a year ago, although he was healthy and active, Brett found that his chest was getting tight. Though his family thought he had asthma when he was hospitalized, they found that he was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition where the heart becomes weakened and enlarged and thus can't efficiently pump blood. Suddenly, his life was put into jeopardy with no idea of what caused his pain.
Practically the only way Brett could survive this sudden battle for his life was to receive a heart transplant, for which doctors at Phoenix Children's Hospital would ultimately have surgery to install a heart pump until they would receive a donor. However, during this most important time for him and after he was at home resting, Brett's family lacked the necessary funding they needed to cover the costs of both his pending surgery and the hospital bills. So, they looked to the donation site YouCaring.com to help spread the word beyond their family borders and onto the internet.
This also caught Paige's attention and she gave him a mention on her hub and posted that link on her picture of him as well. Visits with Cardinals OLB Sam Macho and to baseball spring training with the D'Backs, the Giants & White Sox further helped bring the word out to the Phoenix community. And with all that help, as well as being on the front page of the Arizona Republic, they raised more than $12,000, well above their $10,000 goal, to do exactly that.
Then during the week that the lives of Paige and her cast were changed forever in Hawaii, life would change also for Brett and his family. On March 22, Brett's parents, retired SM Sgt Scott and step mom Carla, received a call that a donor had been found for him to sacrifice his life and his heart to help give their son new life, and top doctors at PCH immediately went into surgery to receive his new heart. The letter from the donor that came with the heart read, "He was a son, a brother, and a father. He was always a giving person always cared for others. He lived life to the fullest. We as a family wish you the best; live life to the max...keep him in your prayers. We as a family would like to know about you one day when you get better. Know that our family always wanted to help others. May God keep you safe." (1)
His parents wrote to the donor family in knowing that while they would celebrate Brett and his new lease on life, they also sympathized with the donors in losing their son but also hoping that family can find peace in having saved the life of a person they donated their heart to. The day after, Brett took plenty of rest after the surgery but also was alert and responsive to doctors, even with having no immune system and relying on his breathing tube. Shortly after on March 24, doctors removed Brett's breathing tube which enabled him to talk once again, and a day later, he took his first walk with his new heart.
And two days after her cast won the $1 million on the AYTO season 1 finale, Paige visited Brett and his family at Phoenix Children's Hospital and was immediately touched by him that they became friends. He would return home afterwards to make a full recovery and eventually return to school. He wrote in his IG caption before that emotional homecoming, "Tomorrow will be my first day back to school in 7 months. It's been a rough and painful journey but I told myself everyday that I would work to be able to go back to school tomorrow to show everyone how you can't let anything get in the way even if it changed your life. Can't wait to see everyone tomorrow and be back where I belong."
And just a month ago, Paige updated Brett's status where now, he is not only fully recovered, but also is stronger than ever. Here's quotes from Paige from her IG pics of, and with Brett, for which we've included a picture of them at the bottom of this post.
Practically the only way Brett could survive this sudden battle for his life was to receive a heart transplant, for which doctors at Phoenix Children's Hospital would ultimately have surgery to install a heart pump until they would receive a donor. However, during this most important time for him and after he was at home resting, Brett's family lacked the necessary funding they needed to cover the costs of both his pending surgery and the hospital bills. So, they looked to the donation site YouCaring.com to help spread the word beyond their family borders and onto the internet.
This also caught Paige's attention and she gave him a mention on her hub and posted that link on her picture of him as well. Visits with Cardinals OLB Sam Macho and to baseball spring training with the D'Backs, the Giants & White Sox further helped bring the word out to the Phoenix community. And with all that help, as well as being on the front page of the Arizona Republic, they raised more than $12,000, well above their $10,000 goal, to do exactly that.
Then during the week that the lives of Paige and her cast were changed forever in Hawaii, life would change also for Brett and his family. On March 22, Brett's parents, retired SM Sgt Scott and step mom Carla, received a call that a donor had been found for him to sacrifice his life and his heart to help give their son new life, and top doctors at PCH immediately went into surgery to receive his new heart. The letter from the donor that came with the heart read, "He was a son, a brother, and a father. He was always a giving person always cared for others. He lived life to the fullest. We as a family wish you the best; live life to the max...keep him in your prayers. We as a family would like to know about you one day when you get better. Know that our family always wanted to help others. May God keep you safe." (1)
His parents wrote to the donor family in knowing that while they would celebrate Brett and his new lease on life, they also sympathized with the donors in losing their son but also hoping that family can find peace in having saved the life of a person they donated their heart to. The day after, Brett took plenty of rest after the surgery but also was alert and responsive to doctors, even with having no immune system and relying on his breathing tube. Shortly after on March 24, doctors removed Brett's breathing tube which enabled him to talk once again, and a day later, he took his first walk with his new heart.
And two days after her cast won the $1 million on the AYTO season 1 finale, Paige visited Brett and his family at Phoenix Children's Hospital and was immediately touched by him that they became friends. He would return home afterwards to make a full recovery and eventually return to school. He wrote in his IG caption before that emotional homecoming, "Tomorrow will be my first day back to school in 7 months. It's been a rough and painful journey but I told myself everyday that I would work to be able to go back to school tomorrow to show everyone how you can't let anything get in the way even if it changed your life. Can't wait to see everyone tomorrow and be back where I belong."
And just a month ago, Paige updated Brett's status where now, he is not only fully recovered, but also is stronger than ever. Here's quotes from Paige from her IG pics of, and with Brett, for which we've included a picture of them at the bottom of this post.
- #1: Everyone please support Brett Wallick, at 15 years old Brett's heart has failed him and he is now waiting for a new one. They are raising money for the transplant, it would mean the world to me if you all could donate. I couldn't imagine what he and his family are going through. Although his heart has failed him, you'd think he has the best heart by his sweet loving personality. Please help this young boy get a new heart..who are we as individuals if we don't help one another❤️ @brettwallick @michellebrendel (http://instagram.com/p/ks8jkbO7ey)
- #2: BRETT GOT A NEW HEART EVERYONE and is already on his feet, this is truly amazing. I can't thank everyone enough for donating. Not only did you help him get a new heart, but you gave him a healthy LONG life to look forward to. I'm seriously so touched right now. Way to go sweet boy, so proud to see you like this! I'm honored to say I'm now a friend of someone with such strength. God bless you and your family. @brettwallick (http://instagram.com/p/mDZ7jbO7aZ)
- #3: Having a visit with Brett, he's doing so well. Thank you so much for being an Are You The One fan and a friend to me! You're so inspiring. Your new heart shines through, sweet boy. @brettwallick (http://instagram.com/p/mG_rWtO7aw)
- #4: Wanted to give a shout out to this strong young man. In March he received a heart transplant and now, he's better than ever. That's strength. So proud of you, Brett. I'm honored to have met you in the hospital and now watch you grow. @brettwallick (http://instagram.com/p/uuFmEWO7Z-)
The recent passing of Challenge veteran Diem Brown after her long, brave battle with ovarian cancer has brought to light the health of young adults & teenagers and their battles with poor health, and there are countless stories too many to mention of people aged 12-34 of those suffering. However, after seeing those pictures of him in the hospital and presenting this story, there is something inspiring in seeing and reading stories like this. This saw someone make a remarkable recovery from fighting for his life to receiving new life from a donor who gave their life to save another.
As was the case when Ethan of season 1 shared his story of being almost paralyzed only to defy the odds and not only make a full recovery but also be part of its first married couple, and recently of Briana of season 2 sharing her heartbreaking story of suffering a miscarriage before her baby was even born, you'll realize that not everything on Are You The One? is about love, drama, money and pretty people.
And just as is the case with other MTV reality shows, the cast's backstories are just as amazing as those that we see on the shows and makes them instantly relatable, bringing a sense of perspective to the house. And in a great first season of a show that I was hooked on from the beginning, this is another one of those stories that adds more to the greatness of that first cast in seeing one of its members do something very good in helping others and making a life-long friend in one.
To Brett, your story is really inspiring and heartwarming. You've got a great and long-lasting life ahead of you. Thanks and much respect bud.
As was the case when Ethan of season 1 shared his story of being almost paralyzed only to defy the odds and not only make a full recovery but also be part of its first married couple, and recently of Briana of season 2 sharing her heartbreaking story of suffering a miscarriage before her baby was even born, you'll realize that not everything on Are You The One? is about love, drama, money and pretty people.
And just as is the case with other MTV reality shows, the cast's backstories are just as amazing as those that we see on the shows and makes them instantly relatable, bringing a sense of perspective to the house. And in a great first season of a show that I was hooked on from the beginning, this is another one of those stories that adds more to the greatness of that first cast in seeing one of its members do something very good in helping others and making a life-long friend in one.
To Brett, your story is really inspiring and heartwarming. You've got a great and long-lasting life ahead of you. Thanks and much respect bud.
Be sure to bookmark DCBLOG for coverage of All Things MTV and the entertainment and sports you love. Are You The One? is covered extensively here with weekly and must-read SocialPulse diaries & wrap-ups and more from both the current 2nd season in Puerto Rico and Paige's season, season 1 in Hawaii. Our DCSP recap of Episode 9 will be posted here on Thursday with all the episode tweets plus a look into the strategy room as we forecast the group's chances at the cash. We also offer extensive coverage of The Real World and The Challenge, for which our countdown to the upcoming 30th season of The Real World in Chicago will get underway this weekend.
To follow live tweets of Are You The One?, Real World and the big events in entertainment and sports, follow my live twitter handle, DCNOW at @DC408DxNow. And of course, also follow my primary hub @DC408Dxtr for tweets, chats & alerts; and Instagram at the same handle for pics.
Once again, we hope you enjoyed this amazing story. And until I talk to you on Twitter and here on DCBLOG, thanks for reading, stay warm, stay safe and Happy Holidays.
- DC
From IG @PaigeBrendel: Paige visiting with Brett Wallick back in March. Follow Brett on Instagram at @BrettWallick.
Sources, including (1): http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/go-brett-go-help-brett-get-a-new-heart/120630
- DC
From IG @PaigeBrendel: Paige visiting with Brett Wallick back in March. Follow Brett on Instagram at @BrettWallick.
Sources, including (1): http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/go-brett-go-help-brett-get-a-new-heart/120630
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