Lincoln Wallace
Sylvania, Ohio
Lincoln was born with an extremely rare gene mutation called kcnq2. The mutation comes along with epilepsy; respiratory failure and severe developmental delays. He has severe central sleep apnea, requiring him to be oxygen dependent and on a constant monitor to assess oxygen level and apneas. Lincoln is on seizure medication and is dependent on NG tube feeding for nutrition. We are currently at home with hospice services to help manage care and symptoms and are trying to navigate care as the symptoms occur. He brings life and joy to our family; brings smiles and joy to his brothers and makes our hearts full and warm. He loves to be held and sung to, loves head massages, and smiles constantly in his sleep. Although we don’t know how much time we have with him, as this diagnosis is terminal, he’s made our hearts grow with so much love. As we navigate the daily challenges that come with this disease, we also celebrate every milestone he makes, and support him in every way we can as he makes the final decision of what he’s capable of. We continue to fight the fight that Lincoln will allow but it remains day by day and we appreciate all the support.
June Brodbeck
Toledo, Ohio
June is almost 11 years old. Her birthday is June 29th, and if you know June, you know she’s the kind of kid who handles everything with a smile and gives the absolute best hugs you’ll ever receive.
Back in Kindergarten, June was diagnosed with something called KMT2B Dystonia. KMT2B is a progressive motor disease. It’s a thief. It impacts the legs, the hands, the torso, and even the ability to speak and swallow. It is what we call 'ultra-rare.' As of May 2025, there were only 277 documented cases on file globally. When you’re dealing with numbers that small, you realize how much every single person in this crowd matters for awareness.
To give you an idea of how fast things changed: in the fall of Kindergarten, June ran cross country, and by that winter, she was falling down on the playground.
Despite the challenges of this disease, June is a fighter. This past October, she competed at the World Karate Championship in the para-division. She walked away with a Bronze Medal for mobility female under age 16! When she’s not doing karate, you can usually find her swimming or riding horses. She refuses to let this diagnosis define her.
Right now, we are in a season of huge hope. The best treatment for this condition is Deep Brain Stimulation, or DBS. June had her brain surgery on March 31st, and will undergo another surgery, on May 4th, she had her battery placed. We are so incredibly hopeful that this 'internal pacemaker' for her brain will bring her the relief she deserves so she can get back to doing everything she loves.
Every runner and walker at the race is helping kids like June feel appreciated and seen. The saying is, “In a world where you can be anything- be kind.” This event is a beautiful testament to kindness and shows support to families with medically fragile children.
Kelly Morgan
Petersburg, Michigan
Kelly was born in November of 2024. After a hard start that included a NICU stay, we brought her home and started adjusting to our new life as a family of 3. As new parents, we were paying a lot of attention to the milestones she should be hitting, and we noticed Kelly was not on track. By 6 months she was notably behind, so we started physical and occupational therapy. Kelly continued to develop more slowly than her peers and we decided we needed more answers.
After months of searching for the cause of Kelly's developmental delays, an answer finally came through genetic testing. Testing came back noting a pathogenic mutation in the IRF2BPL gene. This mutation causes a neurodegenerative disease called IRF2BPL-Related Disorder. Symptoms of the disease can vary but can include neurological regression, meaning a child regresses and loses the abilities they once had including the ability to walk, talk, eat or even breath independently. Seizures and epilepsy are common, developmental delays, and it can ultimately be fatal. We were told there were no available treatment options, go home and love her as much as we can.
After coming to terms with the emotional shock of this diagnosis, we decided “no treatment options” was not a narrative that worked for us. Shortly after Kelly’s diagnosis we launched Tough Genes, a nonprofit organization focused on accelerated translational research to develop a treatment for IRF2BPL. I am excited to say that Tough Genes has taken off within the community, and we are making great strides. To keep this work on track, we continue to look for new funding opportunities to help kids like Kelly. We appreciate everyone who supports our mission big or small.
Our entire family is so grateful for the support Race For The Kids provides to children and families like ours and we are honored that Kelly was selected as a Miracle Child.
Charlotte Rimmer
Temperance, Michigan
Meet Charlotte Faith Rimmer ❤️
Born March 3, 2026 — 6 pounds, 2 ounces.
Back in July, we found out we were expecting Charlotte, and we were filled with excitement. But just a few weeks later, on August 23rd, everything changed. Jordyn’s 10-week NIPT test came back showing a high risk for trisomy 18—a chromosomal condition that often comes with severe complications and is considered highly fatal.
At a follow-up ultrasound, doctors confirmed multiple abnormalities consistent with that diagnosis. From that point on, we spent the next seven months meeting with specialists, palliative care teams, and support groups, all preparing us for the possibility that Charlotte might not survive—either before or after birth.
But through all of that, we held onto one truth: nothing is impossible with God.
We made the decision to fully surrender everything—our fears, our doubts, and our future—into His hands. We prayed constantly, asking for a miracle, but also trusting in His will no matter what.
Charlotte was scheduled to be delivered by C-section on March 5th. But at 2:49 in the morning on March 3rd, God had different plans—and we got to meet our little girl early.
Today, Charlotte is still diagnosed with trisomy 18, but her story looks very different than what we were told to expect. She has no major heart defects, her lungs are strong and healthy, and the cysts on her brain are not expected to impact her ability to live. Even her doctors and nurses have been amazed, some even questioning the original diagnosis because of how well she is doing.
Charlotte is our miracle. She is living proof of God’s power and faithfulness.
The last few months have been filled with constant appointments—on average three doctor visits a week—and many trips to Ann Arbor. Charlotte will have surgery to repair her cleft lip and palate, and she is currently having her club feet casted weekly for six weeks to help correct them, with a possible future procedure on her Achilles. She takes medication twice daily for epilepsy and she is also on a quarter liter of oxygen to support her breathing.
Even in the middle of all of this, Charlotte continues to amaze us. She has been progressing tremendously with eating on her own, something we are so thankful for, but she still relies on her G-tube to help finish what she cannot take by mouth. We know there may still be challenges ahead, but our journey has shown us again and again that nothing is impossible for God.
If there’s one thing we hope you take from Charlotte’s story, it’s this: there is hope, there is power in faith, and miracles still happen today.
Thank you ❤️