SC boy battling life threatening illness has donating bibles on bucket list

(WSPA) – A little boy in the Upstate, battling a life threatening illness, has made a bucket list. You may remember the snow for Tyler hashtag from earlier this year.

Marcus Lattimore is one of the people helping Tyler share his faith with other children.

It’s hard finding a kid who doesn’t love a stuffed animal. Tyler Shelley’s stuffed bear, Tubie, is more than a toy.

“He has all the things I have,” said Shelley. “All the medical things.”

The 11 year old has a mitochondrial disease, affecting how his cells function. We first met Tyler when thousands of people sent him photos of snow while he was too sick to leave the hospital.

“He’s had a recent hospitalization where he was undiagnosed life threatening illness and we’re still in the process of trying to figure out what happened,” said Tyler’s Mom, Amy Shelley. “I don’t typically get too frazzled by things but I was definitely very concerned and as a parent I was worried.”

Tyler and his siblings got an idea while going home from the hospital.

“We wanna do something to help you get through this so then he was like well..,” said Tyler’s sister Michaela, who has medical struggles of her own.

That’s when Tyler’s bucket list was born. It has things like ‘spreading the love’ and working as a police officer. Tyler also wants to give bibles to other kids.

“Wanting other children to have that walk with Jesus that he’s having,” said Amy Shelley. “I think it’s special that he wants other people to have that opportunity.”

An opportunity he’s getting help with thanks to college football star Marcus Lattimore donating bibles to Tyler.

“I’m so blessed to be able to meet Tyler,” said Lattimore after visiting with Tyler. “He’s a testament to everybody on planet earth that it’s not the circumstance that you’re in, it’s how you handle that circumstance.”

Tyler’s mom says they’re grateful for help from Lattimore and support from the community. Contact family friend Megan if you’d like to help by calling (864) 704-4097.Tyler’s Bucket List