By RUSS BROWN • Photos by Matt Johnson and The Nason Family
In 2012 the 5K Run Walk Frogtown Hop hosted by Highview Fire Dept. personnel was on the brink of being canceled after 23 years of raising money for the WHAS Crusade for Children due to the exit of the primary sponsor. Then Kate Nason and her family came to the rescue.
At nine months old, Kate suffered a near fatal traumatic brain injury (TBI) while in the care of a babysitter. She spent about three weeks in the intensive care unit at Louisville Kosair Children’s Hospital and for many years she received treatment from Kosair Charities in the form of physical, occupational and speech therapy.
As a young child, Kate developed an interest in firefighters, so in 1998 when the Nason family moved to a home just a short walk away from Highview Station 1 it was natural for Kate and her dad, Dale, to often include a loop around the firehouse as part of their evening walk with the family dog, Delilah, a lab mix. That led to them getting to know some of the men and women working at the station, including Deputy Chief Rob Dwyer.
Fast forward to 2010 when the Nasons’ son Joe moved out of the house and Kate decided she wanted to start running with her father, as Joe used to do. By mid-2011 Kate had reached the point where she wanted to run in the Frogtown Hop as Joe and Dale had done in the past. But they learned the event was no longer being held.
“Kate was devastated,” Dale said. “That prompted me to call Rob and ask how much money was needed to get the race going again. If the amount wasn’t too high, I figured we could use the money from a special needs trust that was started years ago with money from an insurance settlement as a result of a negligence suit over Kate’s injury. Fortunately, the sum needed was manageable.”
So the race was saved and was renamed in appreciation of Kate’s help as “Kate’s Frogtown Hop”, which completed its 13th year in September. Her dad said his daughter’s efforts stemmed from wanting to give back to Kosair so others can benefit as she did.
The event was originally named in honor of the Frogtown area in Highview. Like other Crusade fundraisers, it relies solely on volunteer labor and support so that 100 percent of the money raised goes to the Crusade. Dale said that is accomplished, in this case, due to the many hours of work by Highview/Fern Creek Fire personnel and their families and friends.
The ages of the participants has ranged from 4 to 80+ years old covering all skill levels. Typically, about half are walkers. One of the unique features of the event is the Frog trophies made by Libby Grenough that are awarded to the top three finishers, both male and female, in each 10-year age group. Although the race has had a few course changes over the years and has shifted to taking place in September instead of May, the core aspects are largely unchanged.
“There have been numerous special moments in past races, like the year Kate finished first in her age group,” Dale said. “Even better, this year Kate secretly contacted Libby who makes the Frog trophies and arranged to have her make some special trophies as surprise gifts during the presentation at the firehouse.”
Those trophies were engraved: Dad--The #1 coach in the world; Mom--The best mother in the world; Joe Nason--The best brother ever; Lauren Nason--The best sister-in-law ever; Teddy Nason--The best Nephew in the whole world; Eloise Nason--The best niece in the whole world; Robin Newlon -- Best Friend Forever.
“Despite the deficits that her TBI caused, Kate has evolved into a happy, caring person who absolutely loves people,” Dale said. “She has a fairly unique ability to engage with and befriend people she meets.”
In addition to being a sponsor for the Frogtown Hop, she is active in Special Olympics as both a competitor and an Athlete Ambassador, which involves meeting and telling her story to groups who donate to the Special Olympics. Kate has also volunteered at a nearby residence for senior citizens.
“A few months after Kate’s head injury, Sue and I happened to see an interview where the parents of a severely handicapped child were asked how they coped with the challenge of raising such a child. Without hesitation, they said that having him in their life was a blessing. At the time, that was very difficult for us to believe. Today we fully understand and embrace that sentiment. Ask anyone who knows Kate and they will tell you the same.”
Dale said there are several ways for people to help Kate’s Frogtown Hop other than participating in the race: spreading the word to people who might be interested in participating; volunteering to help, not just on race day, but also to contact businesses to solicit donations or door prizes; and donating to the Crusade in the name of Kate’s Frogtown Hop.
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