Alex Randell Wrestling for Team Illinois
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Dear friends,
A lot of you know may already know about Alex's brother Maxie, but for those who don't I will give you a brief explanation. Maxie was born with a fatal and progressive brain disease called Canavan and was not expected to live past age four. I created a charitable organization www.curecanavan.org and funded research to save his life and the lives of many other children born with this devastating disease. Maxie will be turning 22 in October because he was able to receive two rounds of life saving gene therapy many years ago, this was mostly paid for out of pocket because it was experimental. We took out a second mortgage and cashed in a 401K to help cover the costs. He is still profoundly disabled and requires round the clock care, but he is alive and surrounded by people who love him. This disease has created astronomical financial strains on my family, but even in light of this I've always been able to take care of everything my children needed, unfortunately with a lot of debt. The extensive fundraising and advocacy work has been my volunteer job for the past 21 years and it has taken a tremendous toll on my family both emotionally and financially, but it was necessary to save Max's life and I wouldn't change a thing. I have always made sure to take care of all of Alex's needs and manage his wrestling career as well. I have done my best to provide for Alex and make sure that he was given every opportunity possible, and he has risen to the occasion by achieving success both academically and in wrestling, but with this success come new financial obstacles.
This has been an amazing Freestyle and Greco season for Alex so far. He has already earned double All American at FloNationals in Freestyle and Greco-Roman, and followed that up with back to back championships at Freestyle State and Greco State. These achievements represent ten years of continuous training and sacrifices most of us cannot even relate to. Wrestling is the most physically, mentally and emotionally demanding of any youth sport. I have watched Alex go through all of it, from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. And through it all the one thing he never did was give up. Now he is finally beginning to achieve some of his long term goals and see some of his blood, sweat and sacrifice begin to pay off.
In addition to wrestling varsity at Notre Dame College Prep Alex has also maintained honors of Magna Cum Laude throughout his high school career. He has also been doing extensive volunteer work with special needs children and young adults since he was eight years old. He is a hard worker and a great person, and I'm so proud of him and happy for all his success.
Alex has been invited to represent Team Illinois for the Junior National Duals in Tulsa, Oklahoma this spring, he was asked to compete in both Freestyle and Greco Roman. He has also qualified as an individual member for the Junior National Team sent by Illinois to wrestle in Fargo, ND this summer, he will again compete in both styles. I am extremely proud of Alex for his dedication and discipline with his wrestling career. He has been training year round since he was six years old to become the best wrestler he can be. This financial burden has been increasing as he's been improving to the point of being asked to wrestle on more traveling dual teams. I am reaching out to friends and family asking for help, either by donating, or sharing this campaign.
Next summer Alex will be focusing more on getting ready to wrestle in college, and all this training and competition is critical to his college wrestling career and beyond. If we can aid him in reaching some of his goals this summer it will help him secure more opportunities for wrestling in college.
Any little bit will help, so we appreciate anything you can do! I've never seen a more hard working kid and I know in my heart he deserves any success he's been getting . I want to support his dreams because I know firsthand his level of dedication and discipline when it comes to the sport he loves.
Thank you!
Ilyce Randell
Alex's mom
Dear friends, A lot of you know may already know about Alex's brother Maxie, but for those who don't I will give you a brief explanation. Maxie was born with a fatal and progressive brain disease called Canavan and was not expected to live past age four. I created a charitable organization www.curecanavan.org and funded research to save his life and the lives of many other children born with this devastating disease. Maxie will be turning 22 in October because he was able to receive two rounds of life saving gene therapy many years ago, this was mostly paid for out of pocket because it was experimental. We took out a second mortgage and cashed in a 401K to help cover the costs. He is still profoundly disabled and requires round the clock care, but he is alive and surrounded by people who love him. This disease has created astronomical financial strains on my family, but even in light of this I've always been able to take care of everything my children needed, unfortunately with a lot of debt. The extensive fundraising and advocacy work has been my volunteer job for the past 21 years and it has taken a tremendous toll on my family both emotionally and financially, but it was necessary to save Max's life and I wouldn't change a thing. I have always made sure to take care of all of Alex's needs and manage his wrestling career as well. I have done my best to provide for Alex and make sure that he was given every opportunity possible, and he has risen to the occasion by achieving success both academically and in wrestling, but with this success come new financial obstacles.
This has been an amazing Freestyle and Greco season for Alex so far. He has already earned double All American at FloNationals in Freestyle and Greco-Roman, and followed that up with back to back championships at Freestyle State and Greco State. These achievements represent ten years of continuous training and sacrifices most of us cannot even relate to. Wrestling is the most physically, mentally and emotionally demanding of any youth sport. I have watched Alex go through all of it, from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. And through it all the one thing he never did was give up. Now he is finally beginning to achieve some of his long term goals and see some of his blood, sweat and sacrifice begin to pay off.
In addition to wrestling varsity at Notre Dame College Prep Alex has also maintained honors of Magna Cum Laude throughout his high school career. He has also been doing extensive volunteer work with special needs children and young adults since he was eight years old. He is a hard worker and a great person, and I'm so proud of him and happy for all his success.
Alex has been invited to represent Team Illinois for the Junior National Duals in Tulsa, Oklahoma this spring, he was asked to compete in both Freestyle and Greco Roman. He has also qualified as an individual member for the Junior National Team sent by Illinois to wrestle in Fargo, ND this summer, he will again compete in both styles. I am extremely proud of Alex for his dedication and discipline with his wrestling career. He has been training year round since he was six years old to become the best wrestler he can be. This financial burden has been increasing as he's been improving to the point of being asked to wrestle on more traveling dual teams. I am reaching out to friends and family asking for help, either by donating, or sharing this campaign.
Next summer Alex will be focusing more on getting ready to wrestle in college, and all this training and competition is critical to his college wrestling career and beyond. If we can aid him in reaching some of his goals this summer it will help him secure more opportunities for wrestling in college.
Any little bit will help, so we appreciate anything you can do! I've never seen a more hard working kid and I know in my heart he deserves any success he's been getting . I want to support his dreams because I know firsthand his level of dedication and discipline when it comes to the sport he loves.
Thank you!
Ilyce Randell
Alex's mom
Organizer
Ilyce Hartman Randell
Organizer
Buffalo Grove, IL