ROCKFORD, MI -- On the eve of participating in her first Mitchell’s Run Thru Rockford, a community charity event to raise money and raise awareness for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Anessa Fehsenfeld -- not really knowing much about the disease -- received a phone call that changed her family’s life forever.
“I was absolutely devastated,” she said of the call she received 13 years ago from her family physician, saying her 6-year-old son, Tyler, had the fatal genetic disorder that slowly robs people of their muscle strength.
The diagnosis of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy was overwhelming.
“I could not make the race the following day, as you might imagine,” said Fehsenfeld, who is this year’s race director, succeeding the Peterson family, who started the race in their son Mitchell’s name.
"But soon after, a couple years later, I pulled myself together. We got to the run, and found it as an event that was like a great big hug from our community. (They) wanted to see our son succeed, and to be everything he could be in spite of the disease."
Tyler, who is now 19, is doing a summer internship and studying web development and graphic design at Grand Rapids Community College.
Fehsenfeld, the daughter of MLive President Dan Gaydou - is excited for this year’s 21st annual Mitchell’s Run Thru Rockford race and maintaining its love for the community. It will be a special day, she said, as hundreds of volunteers and as many as 1,5000 runners all come together for this cause.
Since its inception, the run has raised more than $1 million for Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD).
Learn more about Mitchell’s Run Through Rockford by watching the video and listening to the podcast below. The Michigan’s Best team of John Gonzalez and Amy Sherman plan more updates and behind-the-scenes videos before the race. Come join them.
MLive is a sponsor of Mitchell's Run Thru Rockford.
IF YOU GO
The 21st annual Mitchell's Run Thru Rockford
WHEN: Aug. 17, 2019
WHERE: Downtown Rockford, Michigan.
TIME: 8:30 a.m. for 5K walk/run; 9:30 a.m. Kids for Kids Fun Run; 10 a.m. for awards and medals (everyone gets a medal!)
THE CHARITY: One hundred percent of the race fees and pledges from this event are donated to Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD).
COST: $30 (through July 31) for 5k walk/run; $15 for kids run (until race day)
MORE INFO/SIGNUP: https://mitchellsrun.org/
MITCHELL’S RUN THRU ROCKFORD PODCAST: In this interview, John Gonzalez of MLive.com’s Michigan’s Best talks to first-year race director Anessa Fehsenfeld, whose son, Tyler, has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The run was created and organized by the Peterson family in honor of their son, Mitchell. Since its inception, the run has raised more than $1 million for PPMD. Mitchell’s Run is Aug. 17, 2019.