To find out more about America's Incredible Pizza Heroes Campaign and to nominate a Hero.....Click Here.

There are no Limitations to Making Others Happy

Mooresville, NC (October 22, 2009) – Wiley King was a normal 16 year old junior in high school in 2005. That same year he was diagnosed with a Craniopharyngioma brain tumor. On December 5, 2005 his life changed forever. Due to the damage done by the tumor, 2 brain surgeries, and radiation treatments, Wiley was left with short term memory loss, very limited vision in his right eye and no vision in his left, and a long list of lifelong conditions that have to be controlled by 11 different medications a day.

Before his craniopharyngioma, Wiley was working, driving and volunteering at his church and in the community.  After this ordeal his independence came to a crashing halt.  He missed the second half of his junior year, but because he was an honors student he was able to take 3 classes and graduate on time in May of 2007. At graduation Wiley was honored as one of the top 5 students for community service, having volunteered over 300 hours. 

Wiley’s mother has endured watching him struggle each day to obtain some normalcy in his life.  “It amazes me when I watch him interact in the community.  If you were to meet Wiley, he would be your instant friend. He may be having a bad day, but he and his family are the only ones that know it.  He is upbeat with everyone he comes in contact with.” Wiley regularly speaks and volunteers on behalf of St. Jude Children’s Hospital and the Mississippi Make A Wish organization. He loves sharing with others how each of these organizations have impacted his own life and encourages others to support organizations that are important to the health and joy of children.
 
Wiley has always loved working with children.  He hopes to one day be able to earn a college degree in art that will enable him to teach art to elementary school children. In the fall of 2007, while Wiley was at St. Jude’s Hospital for check up appointments, he was showing some of the younger patients how to draw flames on a racecar. These drawings were submitted to the “Design A Dream” contest and Michael Waltrip Racing chose Wiley’s design for the #00 Aarons Dream Machine racecar, driven at that time by David Reutimann.  Wiley and his family were then invited to Memphis to watch Reutimann and the #00 team. That day David drove Wiley’s flames to victory lane.

Wiley’s ability to use each day to find purpose and joy, makes him a hero to all who know him. He always makes the time to talk to anyone, offer them encouragement, and be their friend. He knows what it is like to be the one left out.  He watched as his friends and classmates followed their dreams after high school graduation, while his own dreams of college and a career as an architect are not possible.

Wiley King will be honored as this week’s ‘Incredible Hero’ at Memphis Motorsports Park, for not only being courageous, but for making it his purpose in life to help others.

The ‘Incredible Heroes’ are extended an invite to attend the NASCAR Nationwide Series race as guests of CJM Racing and the America’s Incredible Pizza Company. Each hero receives a plaque in recognition of their heroism and they spend a VIP day at the race track.

The Incredible Heroes campaign will run throughout the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series season. If you know of an ‘Incredible Hero’ and would like to nominate him or her please email: heroes@incrediblepizza.com for consideration or check out www.incrediblepizza.com/contests/incredibleheroes.

top