The Original Hunter's Heroes team! From L to R: Braydon, Monica, Brian and Cheyenne. Second row: Hunter, Benny and Michael Sullivan.
Last summer Hunter underwent a serious surgery on his hips. The surgery, in medical terms, is called a triple osteotomy. Hunter was in the hospital for nine days in which none of his family left his bedside, including me. Throughout these nine days our family met with numerous doctors, nurses and other medical staff. Monica and I would occasionally take a break to get out of the room and clear our minds. We were discussing how hard this point in Hunter’s life was going to be. This family had no help and money was wearing thin. This is what led me to come up with idea for Hunter’s Heroes.
I started Hunter’s Heroes as a way to show the family that there are people willing to help. The intention of this fundraiser was to raise enough money to afford a golf cart, one of Hunter’s greatest desires. We began selling adult and children’s t-shirts and hats. At first, the orders came flying off the shelves. Cheyenne and I would meet, almost every weekend over the summer, with people to collect their money and deliver their shirt. We live in Indianapolis and when school started back up, we made a trip down every weekend to make sure that all the shirts got to everyone who ordered one. After weeks of this routine, people stopped coming to donate and pick up their shirts. It was hard to see this cause fall through. We kept the shirts in a tin and just started to hand them out for anyone who wanted one. We raised enough money to cover some gas for trips to and from Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital, but that was all. We still call ourselves Hunter’s Heroes and occasionally somebody in town wearing the shirt and it’s just a reminder of how much one child means to entire community.
My name is Michael Sullivan. I am currently engaged to Cheyenne Howard, the sister of Hunter Darlage. Cheyenne and I have been together for over three years, which has given me plenty of time to get to know Hunter and become his brother.
Last summer Hunter underwent a serious surgery on his hips. The surgery, in medical terms, is called a triple osteotomy. Hunter was in the hospital for nine days in which none of his family left his bedside, including me. Throughout these nine days our family met with numerous doctors, nurses and other medical staff. Monica and I would occasionally take a break to get out of the room and clear our minds. We were discussing how hard this point in Hunter’s life was going to be. This family had no help and money was wearing thin. This is what led me to come up with idea for Hunter’s Heroes.
I started Hunter’s Heroes as a way to show the family that there are people willing to help. The intention of this fundraiser was to raise enough money to afford a golf cart, one of Hunter’s greatest desires. We began selling adult and children’s t-shirts and hats. At first, the orders came flying off the shelves. Cheyenne and I would meet, almost every weekend over the summer, with people to collect their money and deliver their shirt. We live in Indianapolis and when school started back up, we made a trip down every weekend to make sure that all the shirts got to everyone who ordered one. After weeks of this routine, people stopped coming to donate and pick up their shirts. It was hard to see this cause fall through. We kept the shirts in a tin and just started to hand them out for anyone who wanted one. We raised enough money to cover some gas for trips to and from Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital, but that was all. We still call ourselves Hunter’s Heroes and occasionally somebody in town wearing the shirt and it’s just a reminder of how much one child means to entire community.
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