A deer hunt gave Lehi resident Cru Morrison a boost of strength during his fight against osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer.

Morrison joined Kids with Disabilities Adventures, a volunteer-run nonprofit that takes kids with special needs fishing, hunting and exploring the outdoors. The organization, founded in 1990 by brothers Kevin and Mike Pritchett, operates entirely on donated time and money, according to the Lehi Free Press.

The hunt "fueled his strength to conquer something challenging, and that is pretty powerful," Mike Pritchett, the group's president, told the Lehi Free Press.

The nonprofit started small. In 1990, the Pritchett brothers organized a fishing day for 16 children at Payson Lake after the Uinta National Forest Service invited them to help showcase a new ADA-accessible bathroom there. The joy that day sparked a tradition. Kevin and Mike partnered with the Forest Service and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) to hold Kids Fishing Day every second Tuesday of May.

That event has since moved to Salem Pond and grown dramatically. In May 2025, more than 1,500 participants attended the 34th annual fishing day, with nearly 500 volunteers on hand, KSL reported. King's Camo donated 1,400 hats and Macy's provided 1,600 box lunches.

Beyond fishing, the group runs turkey hunts and big-game guiding experiences. In a spring 2026 turkey hunt, four youth with special needs each harvested a bird in a single day, which KSL Outdoors called the most successful single hunt in KSL Outdoors' history.

Pritchett said the programs build skills that carry into everyday life. Participants complete a hunter safety course before heading into the field, and Pritchett told the Lehi Free Press that every child in the program has finished every step.

The organization's first hunt was organized alongside the Doug Miller Outdoor Show. Miller, a longtime Utah outdoor television host who has since died, helped launch the group's hunting programs. Kids with Disabilities Adventures has also appeared on KSL's "Outdoors with Adam Eakle."

Pritchett said the group finds many participants through personal connections at fishing events, hunting shows and chance encounters. He described meeting a family at Costco and inviting their son to join the next outing.

Families can apply for an outdoor experience at kwdadventures.org. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit accepts tax-deductible donations through the same site. The annual Kids Fishing Day is held the second Tuesday of May; check kwdadventures.org for upcoming event dates.