Some of life’s most meaningful moments aren’t extravagant. They’re the simple moments spent with the people we love: a family gathering, a special birthday, a favorite meal or one last visit to a place filled with cherished memories.
For adults living with a life-threatening or terminal illness, those moments can become even more significant. That’s the mission behind the YOLO Foundation, a Maryville nonprofit dedicated to helping adults throughout Blount, Knox and Sevier counties create meaningful experiences with the people who matter most.
The foundation helps adults facing serious illness create meaningful memories with the people they love. While many wish-granting organizations focus on children, the YOLO Foundation was created to serve adults, offering hope, comfort and connection during one of life’s most difficult seasons.
“These wishes are not usually grand… Most are simple, human moments.”
Randy Carlson, YOLO Founder
“These wishes are not usually grand,” founder Randy Carson said. “Most are simple, human moments.”
Since opening in September 2025, the foundation has helped make dreams come true in many different ways, from arranging a ride in a Lamborghini for one hospice patient to helping another recipient and his son attend the 2024 College World Series to watch the Tennessee Volunteers play. Whatever the dream may be, the goal is the same: helping recipients spend meaningful time with the people they love.
The idea for the foundation grew from Carson’s more than 40 years working in healthcare, including hospice, hospitals and home care. Throughout his career, he saw firsthand how important those final memories could be for patients and their families.
“I’ve seen the impact a dream coming true can have on both recipients and their families. It is a remarkable experience for everyone involved,” Carson said.
After retiring at the end of 2024, Carson knew he wanted to continue serving others.
“My experience with helping make dreams come true for hospice and Make-A-Wish patients and families led to the YOLO concept,” he said.
Since opening in September 2025, the foundation has already granted several dreams, each one reflecting the unique story of the individual receiving it.
One experience that especially stood out involved a recipient named Renee. When Carson asked what dream she wanted to fulfill, Renee admitted she didn’t think she deserved one of her own.
Instead, she smiled and told him, “I want your job making dreams come true.”
Rather than planning an experience for herself, Renee wanted to create lasting memories for her daughter and granddaughter. The foundation arranged a getaway to Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort, where the three generations spent time swimming, making crafts, roasting marshmallows around the campfire and simply enjoying being together. For Carson, it was a reminder that sometimes the greatest dream isn’t about receiving something; it’s about giving the people you love memories they will cherish forever.
Stories like Renee’s remind Carson why the foundation exists: not just to grant dreams, but to help families create memories they’ll carry with them long after the experience is over.
“We are local people serving local recipients and families,” Carson said. “We want to meet our recipients face to face; get to know them and understand the struggles they are going through. We want it to be a personal experience.”
That personal approach has resonated throughout the community.
Since its launch, the YOLO Foundation has received support from local donors, volunteers and organizations who believe in its mission. Grants from LeConte Foundation and the Tom Hatcher Foundation have helped the nonprofit continue its work, while community partners such as Maryville Friends Connection and KLiK Photography have also played an important role. Local businesses, including Swara Brewing Company and Texas Roadhouse, have hosted fundraising events to support the organization and its recipients.
Carson says that support has been overwhelming.
“I have found that the six degrees of separation is actually two or three degrees in Blount County,” he said. “I have been fortunate to meet the right people at the right time that helped make things fall into place.”
As the foundation continues to grow, its mission remains simple: helping as many adults as possible experience one more meaningful memory with the people they love.
“Our goal is simple,” Carson said. “Make as many dreams come true as possible for adults with life-threatening illnesses in Blount, Knox and Sevier counties.”
Community members can support the YOLO Foundation by volunteering, making a financial donation or referring someone who may qualify for a dream experience. Families interested in learning more or submitting an Initial Dream Request can visit the foundation’s website.
Sometimes the greatest gift isn’t something you can hold; it’s one more memory shared with the people who matter most.
