Why I ride and fundraise
I am riding in my 29th Courage Classic this year in memory of my precious daughter...
Nicole Ann Johnson
October 7, 1991 - May 8, 1992
Nicole was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome in Oct 1991. She was transfered to Children's at 2 days old and spent 5 days in the NICU. Then at 6 weeks old she had her first surgery with a 4 week stay...getting to come home to Loveland on Christmas eve!! She had many visits to Children's and on April 15, 1992 she was admitted to Children's in full heart failure.
May 1, 1992 changed everything for Nicole when she received a new heart!! Her new heart was from a precious 6 yr old male from Tucson, AZ. Although she loved her new heart, she became septic shortly after receiving her new heart and her doctors at Children's were unable to treat the sepsis while preventing her from rejecting her new heart. In the early hours of May 8, 1992, as I rocked her, snuggled her and kissed her, she was called home and finally pain free!
The mountain passes that I will be riding over on my bike compare nothing to all that she endured in her short 7 months of life with us! It also compares nothing to the struggles other Children's Hospital Colorado patients experience daily and for many days!
I fundraise to help support the most amazing hospital that gave it their all for Nicole and us and does the same for all the other families and children that they meet.
I thank God that Nicole's 3 younger brothers, Ben (31), Brett (29) turning 30 one day after the ride and Andrew (27) have never needed Children's Hospital... but know that we are so blessed to have such an awesome hospital so close should they have needed the hospitals wonderful care.
I ride and fundraise in memory of Callie Joy Shaw...Pete and Joy's precious daughter who also was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.
I ride and fundraise in memory of Kody Alan Starck...precious son of Becky and Kris who was born with Microcephaly.
I ride and fundraise in honor of my wonderful 32 year old nephew, Joshua Taylor Gunn who had a heart valve surgery 26 years ago at Children's. It was such a successful surgery that he didn't need to have his pulmonary valve replaced again until 6 years ago!
I ride and fundraise in honor of my adorable great nephew Isaiah who was diagnosed 5 years ago, 3 weeks before his 2nd birthday, with Type 1 diabetes. Once again, Children's was there for him and his family and continues to support and help him manage his diabetes so that he can feel good and be the great little guy that his is!
And again this year I am also riding in memory of my amazing and wonderfully dear friend, Debbie Brohard who passed away from metastatic breast cancer in November 2020. She was not a patient at Children's... BUT treated many special kiddos that were patients at Children's! She was a BELOVED Pediatric Speech Pathologist in Ft. Collins who touched the lives of so many children! She dearly loved all of "her" kids and their families. She was so passionate about them!! She loved helping them to not only be successful with their speech or feeding issues, but she also made sure that they knew how special and loved they were!!!
Last year I had a new and wonderful child to fundraise and ride in honor of!!!
Lowell is a sweet, fun and special 6 yr old that was in my preschool class 2 years ago! He was born with HLHS (hypoplastic left heart syndrome...same as Nicole and Callie) in July 2018. The wonderful cardioligists and cardiothoracic surgeons at Children's basically rerouted his heart to help it work correctly!!! He is so full of energy, love, curiosity, joy and an incredible youngest brother of 3 boys!
This year I have another precious child to fundraise and ride in honor of!
Miles is a silly, sweet, creative and special 3 yr old that was in my preschool class this past year! I don't recall his exact diagnosis, BUT he is so full of life and energy because of the cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons at Children's! He is so loving to his little sister and admires his big brother like no other!
Your support is greatly appreciated not only by me, but all the children that need this wonderful hospital!
Thank you!
Debbie
