Jakari Brown Foundation
This is The Man.. The Myth… The Legend…. Ryley Suggs! Ryley and I first met my junior year of highschool at Muscular Dystrophy Camp. I have had the privilege to watch this young man grow up over the last 8 years, and wow what a privilege it has been. He is absolutely the sweetest, nicest, most kindest person I have ever meet. Some of his favorite things to do are play video games, go swimming, and you guessed it… play with RC cars. Which is probably why we became so close in the first place. Ryley was always the first, and last one playing with my cars when I would bring them to camp. If we weren’t playing in the pool, we were playing with the cars. Even during nap time I would throw it out the window and let them drive around from the cabin. Shhh don’t tell Lauren. That is until the cars would meet their ultimate destruction by weeks end.
This year Ryley turned 17, which means he would no longer be able to go to camp because he is too old. I decided to bring Ryley his own RC car for his birthday, and spent a little time with him after not being able to see eachother for over a year, due to COVID. A week or so later Ryley and I were talking on the phone, he was showing me his new bathing suits for summer when I found out that he could no longer go swimming. He had become too big for his dad to lift him up the stairs into his pool. (The pool is one of the most relieving feelings for kids with MD, as they float it allows their muscles to relax, which are often in pain all day). I immediately thought there has to be a way to fix this problem, this kid absolutely loves being in the pool and we are going to get him in it. I then spoke with Ryley’s Dad who is a master welder, we figure out a jib crane that we can build to lift Ryley from his chair to the pool and vice versa.
Last year I started a fundraiser called the Jakari Brown Foundation, for my camper Jakari who passed due to heart failure at 16 years old. Jakari was an extremely kind person who always cared for his fellow campers, so I decided to keep his spirit alive. This foundations goal is to help kids with MD and find a cure!
Last year we raised just over $3,000. I would like to sincerely thank each and every one of you who donated, I know these kids greatly appreciate all the help. This year I set a goal for at least $5,000 and I know we can do it. This year a portion of the proceeds will go to building Ryley a jib crane so he is able to get in and out of the pool anytime he wants, the rest will be donated directly to the Muscular Dystrophy Association to help find a cure.
Every day, children are born with muscular dystrophy a disease that takes away their most basic freedoms - like walking, talking, eating, hugging, and ultimately life itself. Please help me keep Jakari's kind spirit alive by donating to his foundation.
“It’s not about how long you live, it’s how you live that matters” -Jakari Brown
Thank you!