There was a moment early that Saturday morning in May when the cold and forecasted showers made everything feel uncertain.
Walk MS in Frankenmuth began under gray skies, steady rain, and the kind of weather that makes you wonder whether (no pun intended) people will still show up.
Dan and I always love picturing ourselves at Walk MS.
But they did.
They always do.
Twenty-eight members of Team MonsterS gathered with hundreds of other Walk MS participants to walk, support one another, and remind us again that Multiple Sclerosis may change lives, but it does not erase community.
Some came packing ponchos. Others carried umbrellas and coffee cups. Everyone brought a reason for being there.
By the end of the day, the skies softened, the rain eased, and the streets of Frankenmuth seemed to glow a little brighter. Maybe we did too.
Together, Team MonsterS raised more than $6,500 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. That number matters because it supports research, programs, advocacy, and resources for people living with MS.
Like most years, what stays with me most is not the number.
It is the people. The hugs. The conversations. The knowing that we collectively did what we could to move us all closer to a world without Multiple Sclerosis.
MS can be isolating in ways that are difficult to explain. Walk MS is one of those reminders that none of us are navigating it alone.
There was actually something fitting about the weather that day. The morning felt cold, gray, and uncertain. The afternoon felt hopeful.
Maybe that is part of why this event continues to matter so much to Dan and my friends and family and to so many others in the MS community. It is not because everything is easy or fixed.
It is because people keep showing up anyway.
Here’s a look at how Team MonsterS and others showed up to do their part in getting the world closer to fixing the damage MS already has done and to finding a cure for this disease.
For nearly every year since Dan was diagnosed with MS in 2000, his sister, Dawn, has driven out from Iowa to join him in Walk MS. As if this isn’t awesome enough by itself, the trip often includes Dawn and her husband, Mike, and daughter, Elizabeth, driving all night after she finishes coaching (and Elizabeth finishes competing) in their conference track meet.Dan and me with Heather Schoen and her family at Walk MS 2026. Heather was my first physical therapist after being diagnosed with MS and has been part of Team MonsterS ever since. We also talked more with Heather about physical therapy, MS, and support on our podcast here: https://acoupletakesonms.com/episode-52-taking-on-pt-exercise-with-heather-schoen/Yes, I am blessed to have so many friends who come to support Dan and me in Walk MS. This includes my forever bestie Nora King and her family.Our team’s top fundraising monster, Maximus Miedema, and his parents, Erica and Adam, at Walk MS 2026. Their support, friendship, and enthusiasm for Team MonsterS never go unnoticed.Thankful for the continued support from these wonderful ladies and the friendships we formed from our time at UM-Flint. Big thanks to Amy, Ashley, Jennifer, and her mom, Susan.Brian Wallace, a former University of Michigan football player and fellow member of the MS community (he hosts the MS Michigan Man 64 Podcast), stopped by the walk while visiting friends and supporters living with MS. We also had the opportunity to talk with Brian about living with MS, advocacy, and storytelling on our podcast here: https://acoupletakesonms.com/podcast/brian-wallace-ms-michigan-man-64/One of the highlights of Walk MS Frankenmuth is catching up with friend and fellow MS walker and champion Mary Corless.You know when you’ve made an impact in the MS world when you’ve made such good friends with National MS Society staff members that they are comfortable photobombing your selfie with a family member.We’re always proud of how Team MonsterS shows up each year and is among the top fundraising teams in Frankenmuth. In fact, last year, four of the top 20 fundraisers in Frankenmuth were part of Team MonsterS.
