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Little Boy Wanders Into Fishing Store Alone, Ends Up With Trip Of A Lifetime

September 8, 2023

A heartwarming tale unfolded at the Scheels store in Sandy, Utah when Patrick Palepoi, the store's fishing manager, shared a moment that will forever be etched in his memory.

Patrick Palepoi (Facebook)

Patrick, a resident of Orem, is well-versed in conversing with customers about their angling needs, but one encounter stood out.

On this particular day, a young boy named Xander entered the store, his eyes filled with curiosity about the world of fishing. For nearly half an hour, they bonded over their shared passion.

Xander's mother, Brynn Padilla, shared the significance of this connection, explaining, "So my dad, he was a fisherman. He went fishing a lot. But he passed away a couple of years ago, and Xander never got to really go fishing with him. And so, I think, over the last year, that he's been missing grandpa, wishing he could go fishing with grandpa again."

Touched by Xander's longing for a connection to his late grandfather, Patrick decided to take action and gifted Xander his first fishing rod.

"It was sixty dollars and then he bought it with his own money," Xander told Fox 13.

Credit: Patrick Palepoi via Facebook

This heartfelt gesture brought tears to Brynn's eyes, and she acknowledged that such acts of kindness are rare.

Patrick's own upbringing played a significant role in his decision to go above and beyond for Xander. Raised by a single mother without a father figure to introduce him to activities like fishing and hunting, he deeply empathized with Xander's situation. "He really reminded me of myself as a kid," Patrick shared. "And it just really resonated with me."

However, Patrick's generosity didn't stop at the gift of the fishing rod. The 22-year-old fishing enthusiast went a step further by organizing a memorable fishing trip to Strawberry Reservoir for Xander and his family. To ensure that Xander had an enriching experience, two professional anglers from Scheels accompanied him on the trip, offering guidance and teaching him valuable skills.

Patrick's kindness was truly a breath of fresh air for Xander and his family, who described the fishing trip as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

"I felt like it was my due diligence to pass on the good word of fishing," Patrick said.