Meet the Miracle Families
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Abigail Ziolkowski
AGE: 20
Abigail loves puppies and dog movies, crocheting, and spending time with her best friend — her dog, Mattel!
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Addi Kelly
AGE: 12
Addi loves to dance, do arts and crafts, color, look at pictures, bake, make science experiments, play softball, and ride horses!
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Alexis Willey
AGE: 27
Alexis loves Latin dancing, riding horses, having movie nights, making art, and traveling!
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Alistair Tandeski
AGE: 9
Alistair loves to fish, camp, play dekhockey, ride his bike, and chase snakes…yikes!
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Aurora Beard
AGE: 8
Aurora loves swimming, horseback riding, playing outside (swings and slides), playing with her toys, having play dates with friends, and loving ALL of the animals!
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Beckem Burbach
AGE: 6
Beckem enjoys being talked to, and typical 6 year old activities!
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Bethanie Johnson
AGE: 14
Bethanie loves the movie Moana, Wonder Woman, Lego friends, gymnastics, and just about anything!!!
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Bigby Suddarth
AGE: 10
Bigby loves reading, audio books, graphic novels, riding bikes, Pokemon, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Land of Stories!
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Carson Dalaska
AGE: 20
Carson enjoys playing baseball, basketball, football, and swimming. He also loves riding 4 wheelers and playing the X-box!
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Cecilia "Ceci" Padilla
AGE: 19
Ceci loves listening to music, spending time with her brothers and nephews, painting, playing with slime, and shopping!
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Clara Nagle
AGE: 17
Clara excels at school and enjoys dancing, volleyball, martial arts, drawing, music, and more. She is so thankful for her family and close friends that have supported her on her journey!
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Colsen Neff
AGE: 13
Colsen enjoys swimming, bowling, playing video games, and of course — playing with friends!
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Donald Hinz
AGE: 28
Donald enjoys video games, football, basketball, Boy Scouts, Special Olympics, and he loves singing karaoke!
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Ella Dierickx
AGE: 14
Ella loves dancing, playing basketball, and sand volleyball!
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Ethan Shumake
AGE: 12
Ethan loves giving high-fives, playing with his toys, listening to books, and looking after his younger brothers!
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Everett Kerres
AGE: 8
Everett loves the YouTube kids show “Blippi,” tractors, trucks, working with tools — and loves John Deere!
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Ezra Rechkemmer
AGE: 5
Ezra loves animals (especially her dog, Bronx), being with her family, playing with her brother Abe, giving the BEST hugs, coloring, painting, cooking, and being incredibly social!
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Gilulli Kruse
AGE: 12
Gilulli loves spending time with family and friends!
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Hazel Harris
AGE: 16
Hazel is very close with her younger brother, Owen, and loves to play video games with him!
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Hudson McKearney
AGE: 7
Hudson loves to play with Transformers, superheroes, and Paw Patrol. He adores his little sister, Violet, and snuggling with his two dogs — Eleanor and Optimus.
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Issac Zude
AGE: 19
Issac likes to play basketball, singing in choir, Cub Scouts, Lego Robotics, and guitar lessons!
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James Hall
AGE: 4
James loves playing sports, waterparks, video games, and watching his older brother play basketball!
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Jessica Ruh
AGE: 23
Jessica enjoys crafts, cooking, reading, helping others, and serving at her church!
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Joseph Decker
AGEL 19
Joseph enjoys watching football!
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Kain Cooksey
AGE: 13
Kain enjoys spending time with family and friends.
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Kellan Bain
AGE: 9
Kellan is very positive and always has a smile on his face. He loves school and playing with his friends!
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Lauren Ballard
AGE: 18
Lauren enjoys reading, swimming, Broadway class, arts and crafts, playing with her cars and squirrels, Minecraft, writing stories, dragons, fantasy and magic books, and being outside!
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Lauryn Kuehl
AGE: 22
Lauryn enjoys heights, climbing, and spending time with family!
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Lauryn Strong
AGE: 12
Lauryn enjoys doing anything outside — being at the park or just sitting with her dogs. She also loves to play baseball and swim in the summer, and watch hockey!
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Madison Bonjour
AGE: 3
Madison enjoys playing with toys, eating bananas, dancing, playing peek-a-boo, snuggling, being tickled, and talking!
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Madison "Madi" Ramirez
AGE: 19
Madi loves Uno and Guess Who, singing, watching YouTube, reading, coloring, texting and FaceTime, going to Starbucks, and playing with her American Girl dolls!
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Mason Cappaert
AGE: 3
Mason loves playing with trucks and tractors, watching animated movies, really likes all things Paw Patrol, Bluey, and Daniel Tiger. He has one puppy, Gracie, who he loves playing with!
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Mason Hancock
AGE: 23
Mason loves playing on computers, robotics, movies, eating out, camping and hiking.
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Mason Hougland
AGE: 3
Mason enjoys being outside, going for walks in his wheelchair, swimming, bubbles, toys that shake/light up, and his favorite TV show is Ms. Rachel!
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Michael Stratford
AGE: 17
Michael loves football and basketball, playing Fortnite, making jokes, and spending time with his family and friends!
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Mila Johnson
AGE: 13
Mila loves flowers and spending time with friends and family!
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Nehemiah Ketchum
AGE: 10
Nehemiah loves to visit the library and get new books and playing with all the DM volunteers at events!
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Olivia Waytenick
Olivia enjoys reading, art, dolls, songs, sports, playing at the park, riding her bike, and swimming.
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Paden Lindquist
AGE: 22
Paden loves watching tv and movies, swimming, Yu-Gi-Oh! cards, and playing board games!
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Parker Kress
AGE: 23
Parker loves Jiu jitsu, weightlifting, basketball, PS4.
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Ryder Minch
AGE: 10
Ryder loves to play baseball, as he has hit 6 out of the park homeruns in the last year!
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Sam Wackerle
AGE: 6
Sam enjoys anything outside, loves learning new things, reading books,
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Sawyer Struss
AGE: 16
Sawyer loves the outdoors, movies, cars, and superheroes!
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Sophia Solis
AGE: 14
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Tateum Browne
AGE: 8
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Wesley Harper
AGE: 6
Wesley loves Encanto and puzzles!
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William Hughes
AGE: 7
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Zoey Shell
AGE: 5
Zoey loves swimming, being outside, reading books, and going to school.
Dancing In Our Hearts
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Alex Belk
Forever 11 years old.
Alex loved watching and playing baseball and basketball, playing video games, riding bikes, playing with legos, and playing with friends and family.
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Brantley Francis
Forever 3 years old.
Brantley loved his '“guys” - Marvel Avengers and Ninja Turtles.
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Bryce Campbell
Forever 15 years old.
Bryce was a Boy Scout and loved nature, birds, blueberries, shooting sports, video games, and spending time with his family.
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Jackson Gipe
Forever 12 years old.
Jackson loved playing with friends and family, he is the epitome of why Dance Marathon is so important.
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Kyle Koberg
Forever 23 years old.
Kyle loved playing tractors and farming, playing on his iPad, playing WII (sports or Just Dance), driving his golf cart, and loved his cows.
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Peyton White
Forever 9 years old.
Peyton loved playing video games, Spongebob, playing with his brothers, and bowling.
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Reid Gleeson
Forever 5 years old.
Reid loved his little brother, Brady, his puppy dog blanket, reading books, and so much more. However, Reid’s biggest loves were his mommy, daddy, and garbage trucks.
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Sergio Wogomon
Forever 13 years old.
Sergio had a great sense of humor, loved to play practical jokes, helping others, and was always smiling.
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Tori Vogel
Forever 14 years old.
Tori loved creating anime drawings as a self-taught artist.
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Weston Morrison
Forever 4 months old.
Weston loved being rocked, being grandma’s “boyfriend,” and being held by his friends and family his last few weeks of life. He also liked going for walks outside in the fresh air.
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Will Kohn
Forever 7 years old.
Will loved playing with tractors, being outside, and playing with their dog, Otto.
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Zoe Stamer
Forever 6 years old.
Zoe loved to dress up and pretend to be a rock star. She had a microphone, wigs and all sorts of costumes. She also loved the Little Mermaid and could sing just like Ariel.
Become A
Miracle Family
Are you interested in becoming a Children's Miracle Network Family or know of someone that would be? Then, you have come to the right place!
Becoming a Miracle Family with St. Ambrose University provides you and your family with opportunities to receive endless support, love, and fun moments! SAU students and staff work year-round to organize different events and activities with the ultimate shared goal of creating meaningful connections with our families!
St. Ambrose University Dance Marathon supports our local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in Iowa City. A family who has had a kiddo receive treatment at the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital is able to be involved in SAU Dance Marathon.
If you have any questions or are interested in learning more, please contact our Family Relations Director, Katie Greer, at saudm.familyrelations@gmail.com or reach out to your local CMN hospital to get involved with an organization near you!