Eastern Illinois

In the time it takes to bring a life into this world, Allison D’Ambrosio Bones watched two precious lives leave.  And not just any lives. In a short five-month span, Allison lost her husband Jamie to cancer, and then her son, Travis, to a hidden, deadly rare condition. She struggled with her life’s purpose, but […] Continue Reading »

For decades they have been looking for the few and the proud. In Chris Kaag, the Marines found such a man. A Marine is a Marine. There is no such thing as a former Marine, according to the 35th Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. James F. Amos. When your days in uniform are over, […] Continue Reading »

Empowering NFL prospects to use their Combine or Pro Day performance as a platform to give back and inspire the Rare Disease Community is what drives Uplifting Athletes Reps For Rare Diseases. 2021 marks the seventh consecutive year these athletes have used their platform to raise funds for Uplifting Athletes and introduce their fans, friends […] Continue Reading »

Uplifting Athletes Executive Director Rob Long has been chosen as a 2021 Rare Impact Award honoree by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). The Rare Impact Awards celebrate the individuals, groups and companies making extraordinary strides on behalf of the millions of Americans impacted by rare disease. “Despite the pandemic and the challenges we […] Continue Reading »

Joe Spivak University: Northwestern University Vitals: 6-0, 300 pounds, senior, defensive lineman Quick Hits: 2020: A natural leader, Joe was a three-time captain in high school, becoming the first sophomore football player chosen as a captain at Esmark High School in Chicago. Joe has appeared in 36 games for the Wildcats since his true freshman […] Continue Reading »

Josephus Smith University: Austin Peay State University Vitals: 5-9, 285 pounds, senior, defensive tackle Quick Hits: Josephus had a breakout 2019 in his second season with APSU after transferring from Miles College in Alabama. The three-time member of the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll earned first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors after posting 18.5 tackles for a […] Continue Reading »

David Shaw University: Stanford University Vitals: Head Football Coach Quick Hits: The 1995 Stanford graduate is the fifth alum to hold the position of head football coach. David is the 34th head coach in program history and just completed his 10th season at his alma mater. He is the winningest coach in program history with […] Continue Reading »

Rex Culpepper University: Syracuse University Vitals: 6-3, 221 pounds, senior, quarterback Quick Hits: A native of Florida who has a vast arsenal of talents and interests off the field, Rex persevered to become the Orange starting quarterback the second half of the 2020 season. The three-time ACC Honor Roll and seven-time SU Athletic Director’s Honor […] Continue Reading »

Nolan Cooney University: Syracuse University Vitals: 6-3, 202 pounds, senior, punter Quick Hits: Nolan had a rare cancer scare in high school that gave him a different perspective on patience and made waiting four years to become the No. 1 punter for the Orange no problem. The four-time ACC Honor Roll and six-time Syracuse Athletic […] Continue Reading »

Northwestern capped off a memorable 2020 season by winning its fourth consecutive bowl game with a victory over Auburn in the Citrus Bowl. The Big Ten West champions used an offensive explosion that produced the most passing (291) and total yards (457) this season. Wildcats linebacker Paddy Fisher posted a game-high 12 tackles to become […] Continue Reading »