RUSH: Usher Syndrome Row-A-Thon

05/06/2024

We did it!! 40 miles DONE - but ONLY because of the help of all of our subs that jumped in and gave us rest! Not gonna lie - when the wind picked up (and I literally couldn’t keep my eyes open to save my life) around mile 17…I had my doubts. 😂 But God didn’t - and He brought us through to the end!

One additional person pushed us through to the end: our daughter Reesie (who is FIVE!), who literally helped us row the last two miles! That little girl loves her brother so fiercely…he will never be alone with her by his side. (Though sometimes he probably would like the alone time.😉) But there was no better group of three than Ryan, Reesie, and myself to cross that finish line together - Jayden’s absolute biggest fans. ❤️ …As a wise person recently said (Erica Wyatt), “Love Always Wins.” And on Saturday it sure did!!!

A huge thank you to our supporters, those that donated, our cheerleaders, our prayer warriors, and our MANY spectacular rowers (at the lake and at home)! (I’m sorry to the rowers I didn’t get a picture of who participated!!)

And who’s getting that fantastic Nespresso machine for raising the most pledges you ask? CASEY PONTIOUS! Get ready for your caffeination level to increase, friend! 😉

There is still time to donate if anyone would like to help us reach our goal! Endless thanks to all of you!! 😘

https://go.rallyup.com/rowforusher/Campaign/Details

05/04/2024

This was our big “take-off-from-the-dock” moment. We still have life in our eyes here. 😂 About 10 miles in now and we look at BIT different. 🤪

Thank you to our first subs: Kristina and Shaef Spires!! So nice to come in and get warm for a bit!

05/04/2024

Jayden and Daddy throwing out the brick (attached to the buoy) at the end of the lake for the boats to go around tomorrow. This is it, guys. T- minus 5 hours. 2AM. We’re ready. Let’s do this. ❤️

https://go.rallyup.com/rowforusher/Campaign/Details

04/29/2024

Check out how cool this is! Usher Syndrome Society (one of the two non-profits that rUSH’s proceeds are going toward) is taking over Time Square in NYC on Wednesday and has a feature on the Today show!

🌟 Usher Syndrome Society is taking over Times Square! 🌟

🕧 On May 1, 2024, at 12:30 PM the Usher Syndrome Society will debut our “Every Second Counts” campaign on 9 iconic billboards in TIMES SQUARE! The billboards will highlight the beautiful portraits from our “Shine A Light" exhibit alongside captivating footage of Rebecca Alexander, who is the primary face of the campaign.

If you’re local to the NYC area, we would love for you to come watch the debut of the billboards! Leading up to and following the takeover, we will be sharing lots of photos and videos of the campaign and we would LOVE if you could help us spread the word!

Whether you're directly impacted by Usher syndrome, a long-time supporter, or just learned about USH, you can be part of a movement that shines a light on Usher Syndrome, advocating for awareness, support, and research. Together, we can make every second count.

P.S. Stay tuned for our Every Second Counts Commercial which will be featured on major networks and streaming platforms.

04/22/2024

We’re not the only ones training for the rUSH Row-A-Thon! Yet somehow, Jayden and Reesie’s training pics look waaay cuter than mine. 😬🤦🏼‍♀️ (In that last pic of J, I told him to give me his “strong face.” He blew a kiss. If that doesn’t say “Jayden” in a nutshell, I don’t know what does. That boy is ALL love.)

I rowed 32 miles on Saturday…and I swear I was sleep-rowing from mile 25-30. (Not kidding.) But what you don’t see is all the ice-packs, my shoulders practically swimming in Arnicare gel, even doing a cold-plunge this past week (along with other body therapies) with my sis, the one and only Gina Gramzow Thomas. A LOT of soreness happening over here. …But we’d do anything for Jayden and our Usher Syndrome Warriors. Anything.

https://go.rallyup.com/rowforusher/Campaign/Details

04/16/2024

Yes! A FREE Nespresso for the row-a-thon registered participant that raises the most pledges/donations! (You don’t have to row any specific distance!) And here’s the amazing thing…no one is registered yet. So if you register, and get at least one pledge/donation, YOU win the Nespresso machine! So come on, guys! You can DO this. Let Nespresso cure your depresso! 🤣😉