Over the past month, supporters of Mercy Children’s Hospital in Toledo have been voting for two young boys named Lyndon and Robert Stygles in Speedway’s Battle of the Brave.
Speedway has donated over $68 million to support Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals since 1991, making it the largest convenience store contributor to CMN Hospitals, according to Speedway’s official website.
This is the third year Speedway has sponsored the Battle of the Brave, in which the Facebook community had the opportunity to vote for the 19 participating Children’s Miracle Hospitals within Speedway’s footprint. Mercy Children’s Hospital in Toledo was one of these 19 participating hospitals.
“We knew it would be a competitive battle, but we rallied the troops and kept the votes coming until the end,” said Kristi Frederick, Program Director at Mercy Children’s Hospital.
Mercy Children’s Hospital took second place last year, earning $10,000.
“While we didn’t win first place last year, it was still a big win and a wonderful testament to our community who wrapped their arms around the contest,” Frederick said.
Each hospital had a representative who had been personally impacted by the hospital he or she represented. Not only did Mercy Children’s Hospital have one representative, but two. Twins Lyndon and Robert had a story that helped rack up support and in turn votes that lead the hospital to earn first place and $20,000 in donation from Speedway this year.
Coming in second, Hurley Children’s Hospital earned $10,000, and Akron Children’s Hospital came in third, receiving $5,000.
When asked how the Stygles twins were picked as representatives, Frederick said, “We look for energetic kiddos who, overcame the obstacles put before them and are thriving in their own way today. Lyndon and Robert love to have fun and had the perfect personalities for this contest.”
As a Miracle family, the Stygles share their Miracle story, which includes being born six weeks premature and spending weeks in Mercy Children’s Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Miracle families also speak highly of the hospital.
“Our NICU staff really holds a special place in all of our family’s lives,” said Frederick.
Katie Stygles, Lyndon and Robert’s mother, shows that she holds the NICU staff in a special place when she talks about how Mercy Children’s Hospital saved both of her boys’ lives. She said, “Everyone at Mercy was so supportive, and we have kept in contact with them almost 8 years later—they were like family.”
Stygles was able to be comforted by nurses in NICU. “The biggest thing is the people. I spent all day and night there just about every day while they [Lyndon and Robert] were there. The nurses came and sat with me and explained. They never made me feel like they had other patients.”
Mercy Children’s Hospital will be using the $20,000 to benefit the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The NICU team is discussing options and what would most benefit their littlest patients.
“The $20,000 wasn’t expected so it enables us to really think about what is needed and what would benefit the babies,” Frederick noted.
Frederick shared that they will decide in the coming month how to best utilize the contest funds, and she looks forward to announcing the decision to the families that NICU has impacted.
Mercy and the Stygles family are incredibly thankful for the support the community has shown in helping to win the Battle of the Brave.
Stygles noted, “To think that Mercy, represented by Lyndon and Robert, received over 35,000 votes to win is just amazing. Thank you all for your support.”
