Florida Aquarium gives boy with cystic fibrosis private encounter with African penguin

Dylan Hollis, who lives with cystic fibrosis, had his dream come true today when he met an African penguin in a private encounter at the Florida Aquarium.

Despite the challenges he faces daily, Dylan remained resilient, joyful, and optimistic, organizers said.

When asked what he liked about meeting the penguin, Dylan said, "It was really cool. I really enjoyed it, definitely getting to pet them and just see the penguins. It really felt good because I love African penguins, so seeing one of my favorite types of penguins and being able to pet them just really made me happy."

The visit coincided with African Penguin Awareness Day and was made possible by the Casey Cares Foundation and the Florida Aquarium, organizers said.