Estero runner races for Make-a-Wish in support of families

A few weeks ago, Megan and Erik Reusch were confronted with a pain that no parent should ever have to face. The loss of their 11-year-old son, Isaak. "Every day that goes by, every day that we live our lives, and we're happy and doing our thing. At the end of the night we go; we're one day closer to seeing him again," said Erik. While a battle with brain tumors may have taken Isaak's life, his memories remain. They're in the toys he left behind. In the words of strength shared among family friends. They're in the wish he was granted before he passed away. "They were like, 'wish big,'" said Megan. "So, Isaak's like, I want to go to Hawaii and meet the Rock! And they were like, well, that's technically two wishes." Thanks to Make-a-Wish, Isaak was able to spend one last family vacation with his mom and dad. Megan and Erik were in awe when they found out who was behind making that wish happen. "I feel like I know him, but I haven't really ever met him in person yet," said Erik. Brady McDonald is a marathon runner based in Estero. He's running 50 kilometers in 50 states for 50 days straight. His goal is to raise enough money to grant 100 wishes. Brady says his suffering is a choice. For the kids he runs for, it never is. "These little boys have passed, but their legacy hasn't," said Brady. "Their legacy is just starting, and I think that's our responsibility when these tragedies happen. We could either sit in sorrow, or we could celebrate their life and use their testimony and their story to change the lives of other little boys and girls." While Isaak has passed, his legacy carries on. And now, his story is helping Brady create memories for other families. One step at a time. "You have no idea how big of an impact it makes on families, you know? Not until you've experienced it," said Erik. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment, and original programming on your TV.