“He asked for a miracle, a cure,” she said. “I will never give up. I am a mom of my word.”
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On Sunday afternoon, Bradley and numerous volunteers were busy hosting the fourth annual KylerStrong JAMboree at Rolling Meadows Ranch. The musical headliner was Bronson Arroyo, former Cincinnati Reds pitcher, but the star of the show was the memory of Kyler, a Fairfield Twp. boy who died on April 12, 2016.
“It’s amazing to see the supporters after four years,” Bradley said. “It’s all about the love because it could be their child one day.”
In the last four years, through numerous events, the foundation has donated more than $144,000 to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. That amount doesn’t include what was raised Sunday. The third annual Superhero Pub Crawl, another event for the foundation, will be held from 5 p.m. to midnight April 4 in Hamilton.
While Bradley said she serves as her son’s voice, it’s the work of others in the Butler County community and beyond who make the KylerStrong Foundation successful.
One of those volunteers, Rob Hall, 41, of Liberty Twp., said he followed Kyler’s story because Rebecca taught his children in preschool. Hall, who has four kids and two grandchildren, said Kyler’s death “messed” with his head because of his age and the way he fought.
“Life is precious,” he said.
Bradley hopes Sunday’s event and others bring awareness about the “horrific” disease that took her son. She said Neil Armstrong’s daughter died from the same disease.
“It’s just terrible to watch your kid lose something every day,” she said. “Every day Kyler knew what he was missing and it wasn’t coming back. There is not a survivor.”
She said Kyler’s urn still rests on his bed, and she kisses it every morning and every night.
“He’s still my child,” she said. “I hope he’s proud.”
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