About Gaige

"it's all about who you meet and how you impact them.”

Gaige was born on January 20, 1996, to Shane and Christa. He was always a compassionate person, with a positive attitude and outlook on life. His dream was to help people in need. He was involved in several sports, including football, track, and his favorite - wrestling. Despite never wanting to hurt anyone, he was an excellent wrestler. He was the first to pick up his competitor, always with a smile on his face, and he loved to make people laugh. In 2014, he was ranked 14th in the state of Florida.
One thing he would say is, "It's all about who you meet and how you impact them."
He never met a stranger. To him, everyone was just someone who hadn’t met him yet, and he loved meeting new people and making them laugh.
Gaige had a younger sister who was his shadow. She always wanted to be around him. Watching him play video games with his positive energy always made her day.
He always wanted to serve his country and dreamed of being a cop in the military. He went into the Army, but within less than a month, he was unable to perform and was sent home.

He came home in August 2014. By September, he was in the hospital due to a large growth on his throat. He was scheduled to have his thyroid removed on October 31. However, when his throat closed up, he had to call 911 for himself. He was then diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Throughout his treatments and hospital stays, Gaige remained true to himself, maintaining his unwavering positivity. Friends had three comedians give him a show. For them, the show was Gaige. He had so many jokes that the comedians enjoyed his performance. They told us that when asked to do a show for someone diagnosed with cancer, they were unsure what to do. But Gaige made them feel very comfortable and gave them a positive outlook on life.

Gaige underwent several chemotherapy treatments and radiation to treat his cancer. We would spend weeks at Moffitt and then come home for further treatment at our local hospital. Despite all the treatments, they didn't seem to be working. Out of options, we elected to try a clinical trial. We sent his medical records to all known cancer treatment hospitals, including those in Germany. He was accepted to Children's Hospital in Ohio and MD Anderson in Texas. He chose Texas, calling them the powerhouse of cancer treatment.
He had a Facebook page that reached people all over the world. He received postcards from everywhere. His way of thinking and always having a smile was contagious. He became so popular on Facebook that he was able to meet Adam Sandler and several other celebrities. Adam Sandler treated Gaige like a member of the cast, asking how he liked the takes on his movie "The Do-Over." Adam reached out to Gaige several times, even while we were traveling to Texas for a trial to treat his cancer.
Despite undergoing more chemo and radiation treatment, his cancer continued to grow, and there was only one option left to try. Although it didn't work, he never gave up, and his strength shone through.
When we had to let him go, he let us know he was ready. He made this journey as positive as he could. He never broke, and we were so grateful to have him as our son.

Mission Statement for Our 501(c)(3)

We are raising money for seniors who embody Gaige's core values. We are awarding $1,000 scholarships at Eau Gallie High School. We plan, if possible, to give more than one scholarship a year.

Requirements

Gaige exemplified the core values that represent all we strive to achieve. This award, given in his name, is founded on the qualities of academic excellence, complete school involvement, participation in community events, and most importantly, doing what is right every single day.