My first “Why” is my dad. In November 2025, my dad was rushed to OSF in Monmouth with a 99% blockage in his heart. He was immediately transported to UnityPoint Trinity in Rock Island, where they performed a heart catheterization to assess the situation. Shortly after monitoring, he underwent a double bypass surgery, followed by a stent placement a few days later.
I am truly grateful for the incredible doctors at UnityPoint Trinity RI—because of them, my dad is still here today and gave us something profoundly meaningful to be thankful for this past Thanksgiving.

My second “Why” is Avery, my son’s younger sister. Avery received a heart transplant in February 2023 at just 4 years old. She is fun, energetic, silly, and full of light when she’s healthy. After everything her body has gone through, her immune system is very fragile and she gets sick easily. I want to raise awareness within our Quad Knox group for this amazing organization—because kids like Avery deserve the chance to grow, play, and simply be here.

My third “Why” is one of our own—Kaydence Whitworth. Kaydence received a pacemaker at the age of 5. Bringing awareness to her needs helped us move toward more inclusive nametags, as magnetic ones can be dangerous for individuals with pacemakers. I’m proud to say we successfully transitioned to pin‑backed nametags for her. Kaydence has been such an asset to Team 53rd—earning her promotion to RB II in 2024, always willing to help, and often being the analytical brain I lean on.