The dream of a 14-year-old Newton County girl suffering fromcancer became reality Saturday thanks to the cooperative efforts ofLawrence and Lincoln countians, the Mississippi State UniversityExtension Service and a local corporation.

Ashley May, the daughter of Jeff and Teresa May of Conehatta,was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic lymphoma, a form ofleukemia, in March and has undergone intense chemotherapytreatments in the months since.

Her dream was to hunt white-tailed deer in the woods ofMississippi.

“I like to be outdoors hunting, fishing, riding four-wheelers,whatever,” she said. “Whatever I can do outdoors I like to do.”

Through the efforts of the late Bruce Brady’s Catch-A-DreamFoundation, the Georgia-Pacific Monticello mill, MSU extensionservice and local volunteers, not only was Ashley able to realizeher dream, but she was able to bag two bucks in two days.

And not just any bucks — Ashley’s first kill was an eight-pointbuck at a range of 125-130 yards, and her second was a six-point ata range of about 100 yards. Both were killed with one shot.

“She’s quite a hunter,” said Bill Little, the G-P huntmaster whohunted alongside her and her father. “I know a lot of men who havehunted for a long time that couldn’t have done that.”

“I had the privilege of being right over Ashley’s shoulder whenshe shot (the eight-point). It was a great shot,” said MartinBrunson, the director of Catch-A-Dream with the extension service,who was filming the hunt for her.

The rifle Ashley brought for the hunt, a Remington 700 7mm-08,was bought by friends in her hometown and given to her on ChristmasDay.

“The one I killed today was my first buck,” she said, admittingshe had shot a doe last year.

Peggy Brady, who oversees Catch-A-Dream for her late husband,and Brunson coordinated the hunt for Ashley. Georgia-Pacific hadpreviously notified the foundation that they would be pleased tosponsor a hunt on their property, known for its well-managed deerpopulation. Brady and Brunson took them up on their offer.

Ashley’s family, which also includes sister Amy, 7, arrivedFriday for a weekend hunt. They left for home today. While inLawrence County, the Mays stayed at the Georgia-Pacific guesthouse,a luxurious home on the property normally reserved for companyVIPs. The corporation paid to have the deer processed andmounted.

Georgia-Pacific also treated the Mays to a Catfish Cooking Teamspecial lunch Saturday. Ashley was presented several gifts,including a limited edition copy of Bruce Brady’s “Game Trails”from Peggy, a plaque for Catch-A-Dream making her a junior memberof the foundation, and a gold necklace from G-P with a deerpendant.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t get a deer, and I didn’t want you togo home empty-handed,” joked Asa Hardison, chief executive officerof the Monticello Mill. “I have never been happier over anyonekilling a deer than I am you,” he added seriously.

Hardison invited the family to hunt on the property wheneverthey wished and asked Ashley if she would be a guide on futureCatch-A-Dream hunts.

“So often growing up we hear from our parents that we have ourhealth, and we just let it go over our heads,” he said. “It trulyis a blessing.”

Brunson said there is more to Catch-A-Dream than realizing thosedreams. It is also, he said, to show the children that there ismuch awaiting them when the time comes.

“Our purpose is to make children realize there is more to lifethan this body we live in,” he said. “Catch-A-Dream is a ministryeven more than it is for children to complete a dream.”

Teresa May said she really appreciated the efforts of everyoneinvolved in fulfilling her daughter’s dream.

“I know when she was first diagnosed we thought it was the endof the world, but it’s shown us a new world,” she said. “Weappreciate all the angels God has sent our way, and all of you aredefinitely among them.”

Ashley had been involved in softball and played the trumpet inband before being diagnosed. She had finished a softball practicewhen she first noticed the symptoms.

“I thought I had done something to my back when I was liftingweights,” she said.

When she was taken to a doctor in Meridian feeling ill in lateFebruary, her mother said, he conducted some tests and referredthem to University Medical Center in Jackson. A doctor therediagnosed her with cancer from a bone marrow test and sent her toSt. Jude Hospital in Memphis in early March. She stayed at St. Judeuntil the end of April.

While in the hospital, Ashley kept up with her schoolwork andwas even voted freshman homecoming maid by her classmates. Shecompleted the year with all As, except one B in algebra.

She said it was tough to keep good grades after she returnedfrom the hospital.

“Half the time I’m not there because I have to go fortreatment,” she said.

Ashley said she was excited about her hunt here and lookedforward to returning sometime in the future.