Ellie Strong: The Road Ahead
Our Miracle Girl
Our journey with Ellie began with a miracle. After experiencing a devastating loss, we weren’t sure our family would ever be complete. Then came Ellie. She was our “rainbow baby,” born at 26 weeks—an arrival that was perfectly timed to avoid a medical catastrophe, but one that meant a very early start in the NICU.
Updates (4)
June 15, 2026
Yesterday was nothing short of extraordinary.As we sit here trying to process everything that happened, one thing is abundantly clear: we could never have done this alone.To every volunteer who helped before, during, and after the event—thank you. From setting up, running activities, managing logistics, and cleaning up at the very end, you made this day possible.To everyone who attended, donated, bid, shared, cheered us on, and supported us from both near and far—thank you. Every single contribution, no matter the size, helped move us one step closer to our goal.To our local and national business sponsors, thank you for believing in Ellie and supporting our family in such meaningful ways.To our friends and family, thank you for stepping up in ways we never could have imagined. The love and support you’ve shown throughout this journey continues to leave us speechless.To our incredible nurses and therapists, thank you for giving us the opportunity to focus on this event while knowing our children were safe, cared for, and as regulated as possible. Your support behind the scenes means more than words can express.Thank you to the state assemblywomen (Marisa Sweeney & Aura Dunn), town council members (Benjamin Weisman & Danielle Cascone), and the officers from Boonton Volunteer EMS who took time out of their busy schedules to attend and support our mission. Seeing community leaders show up for Ellie and our family meant so much.Thank you to Captain America for making a special appearance and bringing smiles, excitement, and a little bit of superhero magic to so many faces throughout the day.To our silent auction contributors and bidders—wow. What started as one table turned into seven! Thank you for your incredible generosity and enthusiasm. And to the friends who somehow transformed into accountants for the day, managing our massive silent auction, online bidding, and in-person bids—you are absolute rock stars. We truly could not have done it without you.A special thank you to Tommy Hilcken for serving as our emcee and bringing his friends along for even more entertainment throughout the entire event.Thank you to Kona Ice (NW Passaic) who arrived planning a simple dine-to-donate partnership and ended up supporting us in a much bigger way than anyone expected.Thank you to Spaziani Catering & Food Design, Catfight Coffee, Hoover's Tavern, Bagels n’ Crumbs, Complete Care at Regent, To The Moon and Back Cupcakery, Chef Keith (who also served as our incredible barista), Just4U by Sue, Yaya & PiPi, and Grandma & Pa for helping keep our guests fed, hydrated, caffeinated, and happy all day long.Thank you to Heather of Two Little Details Co. (find her on Instagram!) for arriving first thing in the morning to create an absolutely gorgeous custom photo backdrop for our guests. Your creativity, talent, and attention to detail gave us a beautiful space to capture memories from a day we’ll never forget.Thank you to Riverstone Therapies, LLC and The Zigzag Flow, Inc. for creating a safe and welcoming space for children who needed a break from the excitement and for ending the day with an incredible music and dance circle.Thank you to Arabella—Brooke’s BFF, junior teacher, and black belt extraordinaire—for sharing her skills and helping newcomers learn.Thank you to Aunt Emmy (& Patty) for creating and running an art table filled with activities for our littlest guests. From the moment the event began, children were drawn to the creativity, fun, and hands-on projects you thoughtfully prepared. Thank you for helping make the day special for so many families.Thank you to Maddie of Baby Devil Tattoo Co. for providing the most amazing temporary tattoos we’ve ever seen. Both adults and kids were loving their new ink!Thank you to Lauren Moran and Joey Fisher for capturing the day and helping preserve these memories through their incredible vlogging skills.Thank you to Help Hope Live, the nonprofit organization that makes campaigns like ours possible. Your guidance, resources, and support have helped turn what once felt impossible into something we can truly work toward. We are so grateful for everything you do for families facing extraordinary medical challenges.And finally, thank you to the Boonton Elks Lodge #1405. You didn’t simply provide a venue—you welcomed us with open arms and became true partners in making this event a success. From the moment we began planning, you stepped up in ways we never could have imagined. Your generosity, support, and belief in our mission helped create a day that our family will never forget.Because of all of you, we raised $11,000 yesterday alone. That total doesn’t include business sponsorships or personal and business contributions made before the event.Most importantly, we watched an entire community come together around one little girl. Our little girl. The love, generosity, and support shown yesterday is something our family will carry with us forever.When your goal is as big as ours, one event—even an incredible one—isn’t enough to get you all the way there. But the fact that we’ve come this far is something we never could have imagined. Never in our wildest dreams did we think we’d be here.Every dollar raised brings us closer to a wheelchair-accessible van that will give Ellie greater comfort, safety, and independence, while allowing our family to navigate daily life more easily.Thank you for believing in Ellie. Thank you for believing in our family. Thank you for helping build The Road Ahead.Stay tuned for more events and announcements in the coming weeks and months, and please continue sharing our campaign as we move closer and closer to our goal.With endless gratitude,Stephanie, Josh, Brooke, Ben, Jacob, and of course… Ellie ❤️
June 6, 2026
As we get closer to our fundraising event, Josh and I have found ourselves reflecting on just how much support we’ve received over the last two-ish months.The truth is, we’re overwhelmed—in the very best way.From family and friends to neighbors, coworkers, acquaintances, and even complete strangers on the internet, we’ve felt an incredible outpouring of love for Ellie and our family. Whether you’ve shared our story, sent encouraging messages, donated, sponsored our event, or simply kept Ellie in your thoughts, you’ve helped carry us through this journey.We’ve been especially humbled by the number of businesses—both big and small—from all over the country that have stepped up to support our fundraiser. The generosity we’ve experienced has expanded our world in ways we never could have imagined, and it’s difficult to put into words just how much that means to us.When we first received the quote for what was described as a “budget-friendly” wheelchair-accessible van, the goal felt impossible. Today, we’re approaching 20% of the funds needed, and for the first time, that dream feels within reach.Every donation, every share, every word of encouragement has helped move us closer to giving Ellie safer, more accessible transportation and greater opportunities to experience the world around her.From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for believing in our daughter and giving her a chance.We hope you’ll join us at the event we’ve worked so hard to create—a day filled with fun, community, and gratitude. We can’t wait to celebrate with all of you and continue moving one step closer to getting Ellie on The Road Ahead. You can register by clicking “The Road Ahead Event” on the homepage.With love and gratitude,Stephanie, Josh, Brooke, Ben, Jacob, & Ellie
Photo Galleries (2)
Guestbook
June 17, 2026
Ellie Strong! ❤️
Anonymous
June 17, 2026
Sharing some support from the community. All the best in your journey.
Anonymous
June 17, 2026
Ellie Strong!!! Love you ♥️
Michele Ranieri
