Summits for Samantha
Why We Ride
Summits for Samantha began with one little girl who forever changed our lives.
We ride in loving memory of our daughter, Samantha, who lost her battle with mitochondrial disease just after her fourth birthday. Her courage continues to inspire every mile we ride and every dollar we raise. We ride for other families impacted by this horrible disease.
We also ride in memory of Heather's brother, Ryan, whose journey with adult-onset mitochondrial disease reminded us that this devastating disease affects people of all ages. Ryan was an incredible father, son, brother, and friend whose strength and resilience continue to inspire our family.
Our family's journey with rare and complex medical conditions has taught us firsthand how important specialized care, innovative research, and compassionate healthcare teams truly are. We know what it feels like to search for answers, celebrate small victories, and hold onto hope during the hardest days.
We ride for every family living with mitochondrial disease.
We ride for the children who deserve earlier diagnoses and better treatments.
We ride for the adults whose symptoms are often misunderstood.
And we ride for the physicians, researchers, nurses, and care teams at Children's Hospital Colorado who never stop fighting alongside their patients.
Because of your incredible generosity, Summits for Samantha has raised more than $2 million to support the Mitochondrial Program at Children's Hospital Colorado. Together, we've helped fund clinical research, support patient care, and provide CoQ10 supplements for families across Colorado.
Every donation brings us one step closer to better treatments, earlier diagnoses, and, ultimately, a cure.
Thank you for riding with us, believing in our mission, and helping us ensure that no family faces mitochondrial disease alone.
Together, we climb. Together, we ride. Together, we create hope.
