Daughter, dad with Parkinson's enjoy reptile adventure

Many fathers share special, unbreakable bonds with their daughters.

Sometimes, those bonds include hobbies and pastimes only they understand, like Dennis and Aylis Manley's love of snakes and other reptiles.

"We started watching Snake Discovery on YouTube about five years ago," Dennis Manley, of Post Falls, told The Press via email Friday. "The show is very educational and we both fell in love with the snakes."

They adopted a corn snake, named Hot Tamale, because corn snakes are known for their mild temperaments.

“I really like them because people associate snakes with fear, but they're actually really fun creatures to have," Aylis said during a phone call. "They're really interesting because of their anatomy."

The daddy-daughter duo are making the most of their time together. Dennis, 59, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2009, before Aylis was born. He was diagnosed with throat cancer one month later. The Parkinson's condition continues to wreak havoc on his nervous system and make daily living increasingly difficult.

"Parkinson's disease can be soul-crushing and harder on loved ones than the sufferer," Dennis said.

On Father's Day, Aylis' mom and Dennis' ex-wife, Hosanna Schumaker, announced a surprise trip had been arranged for the reptile buddies to go to Snake Discovery in Maplewood, Minn. The trip was made possible through One More Time Northwest, a nonprofit that helps dreams come true for adults with life-limiting conditions, founded by Tiffinay Walker.

Dennis said he was shocked and elated when the surprise announcement was made.

"I had wanted to take Aylis but finances and timing didn't permit," he said. "My ex-wife got involved and they made it happen. They both can be quite tenacious. My ex-wife knows Tiffinay through another group and that's how One More Time got involved."

Dennis and Aylis spent Aug. 11-13 in the Midwest, enjoying time together and with some of their favorite creatures.

"St. Paul is a great city," Dennis said. "In addition to seeing lots of crawlies, we went to the aquarium, one of the biggest malls in the country, a stroll along the Mississippi. Saw some great architecture."

Aylis was elated to see an axolotl, a type of frilled salamander, in person.

"They’re my favorite," she said.

She and her dad treasured this time together.

“It was fun spending time with him while we still get to hang out," Aylis said. "It was a good experience overall."

Dennis said spending time with his daughter meant the world to him.

"We don't get a lot of adventure time anymore due to the illness, so this will be a great memory for both of us," he said.

He said he knew nothing about One More Time Northwest prior to the trip but is now a huge fan of its work.

"Having this resource in the community is a godsend," he said. "Tiffinay is an angel. She dealt with all my travel phobias and coordinated the trip flawlessly. Above all, she was patient and understanding of my condition."

Walker said she was more than happy to help with this special father-daughter trip. She founded One More Time after she lost her own father.

"To be able to do this, it makes me feel like I got to do something with him," she said. “It was really, really amazing. Dennis is young, Aylis is so young. He's not going to be able to do things like this later."

Aylis said she was grateful to have this time with her dad.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience," she said.