Our Inspiration
OUR INSPIRATION
Fourteen years ago, the staff of Race Productions came to know and be inspired by a young boy in the Branford community. At that time, 9 year-old Brian Kelley was struggling with the effects of adrenoleukodystrophy, ALD, an x-linked disease of the central nervous system.
At the age of 6, Brian was a typical little boy, doing well in first grade and skiing black diamond trails with his family. That March, he was diagnosed with ALD. The treatment at the time was a bone marrow transplant; Brian would get a missing enzyme from his brother in hope of arresting the disease before it would impact him. Unfortunately, by the end of August, the effects of the disease took away Brian’s ability to walk, talk or speak.
Now at the age of 23, despite the many disabilities with which Brian copes each day, he continues to inspire us all. His courage and tenacity motivate us to keep this challenge from happening to others. With his acute hearing and cognizance of the world around him, Brian seems to bring out the best in people, teaching those he meets the importance of faith, love, family, friends, good health, kindness and tolerance.
In 1996, in Brian’s honor, we decided The Myelin Project would be the beneficiary of our future races. Now, 15 years later, we still believe it to be a very worthy cause.
