The Background
Several years ago, I met Clifford Chilson when he moved from New York to South Carolina and joined the bass club I belong to, the Shaw Bassers. Cliff began fishing on the co-angler side to learn about our fisheries. He later started fishing as a boater and began competing on the South Carolina Bass Nation Trail. After his arrival, I had the opportunity to fish with Cliff in one of our club derbies. It didn’t take long to realize that he is just a genuinely good dude and a fish head like many of us. He shared a memory of serving as a Marshall (now called Ambassador) for the Elite Series on the St. Lawrence River, where he rode along with legendary Elite Series Pro Mike Iaconelli. Besides being a very knowledgeable angler, he talked long and lovingly about his wife, Allison.
While on the water together, Cliff shared that when still in New York, Allison had been given a terminal cancer (GST Ovarian Cancer) diagnosis and all treatment options had been exhausted. While watching Bassmaster Live together, they were discussing their dire reality. She expressed that she was afraid to “not live life” with the limited time she had remaining. Allison proposed a move South so Cliff could fish year-round. The Elite Series event they were watching was taking place on Santee Cooper. Cliff suggested that it would be a place they could move as he watched Brandon Palaniuk fish towards victory. Cliff later explained to me that once Allison sets her mind to something, she is all in. They soon moved to South Carolina.
When planning their move, Allison began searching groups on Facebook for women with her rare type of cancer. She came across a woman in one group who had been receiving a new type of treatment and had excellent results. However, the only place that offered this type of treatment was located in Las Vegas. Since moving to South Carolina, Cliff became a certified paramedic while Allison continued to advocate for herself for the same type of cancer treatment available in Vegas.
The Buildup
This past November, SC Bass Nation held its annual State Championship on the Cooper River. Several Shaw Bassers were signed up for the event, including Cliff. After a day of practice, Cliff informed me that he would need to leave the event because his trolling motor was inoperable. I suggested that he stay and fish as a co-angler instead. He asked “can you qualify for the Classic as a co-angler?” I informed him absolutely, that if he finished high enough, he could qualify for the Regional, then to the Nation Championship, and eventually the Bassmaster Classic, even as a co-angler. Cliff stayed, fished as a co-angler, and qualified for the Bass Nation Regional at Cherokee Lake in Tennessee! He demonstrated, during adverse situations, that it’s not about what happens, but how you respond.
Recently, Cliff began official practice for the Bass Nation Regional. After a couple of difficult days, he said he was struggling to catch keeper fish. The night before the tournament began, Cliff received some devastating news that a good friend from paramedic school, Ralph Fulmore, Jr., was tragically killed in an automobile accident on his way home from taking his National Registry Paramedic Exam. Fullmore never learned that he had passed the exam.
The Payoff
During Day 1 of the Bass Nation Regional at Lake Cherokee, Cliff focused on fishing while dealing with the loss of a friend. He ended the day in second place after catching 7 lbs. 15 oz with a Ned rig. Cliff woke up around 5:20 on Day 2 to someone pounding on his hotel room door. After wondering who the hell would be knocking on his door at such an hour, he was surprised by Allison, who had driven up to support her angler. That day, she witnessed Cliff bring 8 lbs. 10 oz with his 3 fish limit to the scales to jump into 1st place, leading into the final day. On Day 3, he coerced bass into the boat by using a drop shot and Keitech swimbait for a total of 7 lbs. 7 oz. This gave Cliff 24 lbs. even over three days. Cliff left the Bass Nation Regional as the Co-Angler Champion and earned a trip to the Bass Nation Championship.
While sharing in the excitement during the tournament, Allison told Cliff that she had recently had a follow-up doctor appointment after receiving the new type of cancer treatment. For the first time since battling with cancer, she received news that no new tumors had grown, and the ones that remained were shrinking.
I am truly impressed by Cliff’s accomplishments at this tournament, more grateful for his friendship, and in awe of the love he shares with his wife. As I watched the weigh-in live on my phone, with tears in my eyes knowing their story, a few things came to mind. Cliff first served as a Marshall/Ambassador for Mike Iaconnelli. Iaconelli’s catch phrase is Never Give Up and he has a son named Vegas. Allison learned of the treatment that was specific to her cancer was available only in Las Vegas, and she never gave up advocating for herself. Life is short, live your dreams, do it with someone you love, and NEVER GIVE UP!
