When University of Michigan Regent Ron Weiser heard that Chad Carr was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, the news hit him hard. Even though he did not personally know the Carr family, the idea of a family bearing the news that their 4-year-old child was likely going to die — and there was nothing that could be done — was intolerable. He knew he had to do something, anything to help.
Ron read in The Detroit News that Tammi Carr and her neighbors were organizing a garage sale in her Saline neighborhood. It was one of the early fundraising endeavors of The ChadTough Foundation, with most of the profits raised going to funding pediatric brain cancer research. The Carr family felt strongly that, even if they didn’t get their miracle for Chad, they would change the outcome for future families fighting the same disease.
Ron felt that this was his opportunity to make a difference for the foundation. He drove to Saline to hand deliver a check for the garage sale but inadvertently went to the wrong house. Ron explained his intentions and handed the check to a neighbor of the Carr family. The neighbor then insisted that he come meet Tammi in person.
“I’ll never forget that moment,” said Tammi. “A complete stranger heard our story and felt how important our mission was. It reinforced that we were doing the right thing and that Chad’s legacy would make a difference.”
Since then, the Weiser family has become one of ChadTough’s most generous supporters. Not only has Ron committed to partnering with ChadTough on an annual basis as an official partner, he also championed the campaign to develop a pediatric brain tumor center at the University of Michigan. Ron and his family gave millions to help create the center, and they, along with other generous supporters, enabled the establishment of the Chad Carr Pediatric Brain Tumor Center at Michigan Medicine.
“Children are precious, and protecting them is the greatest achievement in life,” said Ron.
