Hi everyone, and thank you for taking a moment to meet someone incredibly special to me: 10-year-old Maci Jones.

I met Maci during a calendar tour, and within seconds she changed my life. She was signing and dancing from her wheelchair with a joy so bright that I couldn’t help but walk straight to her. I spent the rest of the night sitting with her, signing, dancing, laughing, and listening to her story. That night, I didn’t just meet a little girl in a wheelchair. I met a fighter. I met a light.

Maci didn’t have an easy start to life. When she was just two years old, she survived severe abuse that nearly took her life. But her story didn’t end there. She was adopted by the most loving parents, people who have poured their hearts into giving Maci safety, hope, medical care, and a future filled with possibility. They are the reason she is here today, smiling, dancing, and spreading joy everywhere she goes. Helping them means more to me than I can put into words.

Why I’m Fundraising

Maci needs a standing wheelchair, a medically specialized device that will allow her to stand, support her bones and circulation, increase her mobility, and give her freedoms she has never had before.

The cost of this wheelchair is $42,000, far beyond what most families can manage alone. Her parents have done everything in their power for sweet Maci, and I want to help lift some of the weight they carry every single day.

Where We Are So Far

After meeting her, I invited her family to a Hooters friendraiser, where South Florida Hooters generously matched 20% of the night’s sales. Together, we raised $500 for Maci, and we’re not stopping there.

What’s Next

On Sunday, December 7, I’ll be running Coach Spo’s 5K side by side with my new best friend, Maci.

Right after the race, we’re hosting another friendraiser at the Coral Way Hooters in Miami, and we invite everyone to come. Bring your friends, bring your family, and bring your love for Maci. South Florida Hooters will once again match 20% of sales and donate it directly to her wheelchair fund.

How You Can Help

Anything, truly anything, makes a difference:

❤️ A donation of any size

🙏 A prayer

🔁 Sharing this fundraiser

🤝 Joining us in person at Coral Way Hooters after the race

Every bit of support brings Maci one step closer to standing tall.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for loving this little girl the way I do. Together, we can help her rise, literally -

Gracie Williams