For Mandi Bailey, caregiving and service have always gone hand in hand. As the daughter and stepdaughter of veterans, she grew up understanding what courage looks like, on the battlefield and at home. When her stepdad, Fred, a proud veteran, was diagnosed with ALS, that understanding took on new meaning. Mandi discovered a different strength: the quiet, enduring kind that comes from love, advocacy, and lacing up her running shoes to keep moving forward.

Though Fred’s battle with ALS eventually came to an end, his legacy of service lives on through Mandi. His courage continues to fuel her mission to honor him, to raise awareness, and to support families facing the same fight.

“My family has a long history of military service, on all sides,” Mandi shared. “My grandfather served, my dad served, my stepdad served, my husband served, and now my nephew is serving. By simply signing on the line, they’ve put themselves at higher risk for developing a service-connected disease like ALS. Watching my stepdad and all the other veterans I’ve gotten to know battle ALS has lit a fire in me. I want to be a voice for them.”

That fire extends to her Live Like Lou volunteer work, where Mandi has served ALS families through our Connect & Serve program.

Running has become essential to how she honors her stepdad and the ALS community.

“I’m not a fast runner, but I enjoy it,” she said. “Movement is a gift and that gift can be taken away at any moment, so I want to take advantage of it while I can.”

Her miles are purposeful. This year, Mandi set a goal to run an official 5k race each month for a year. Wanting that effort to serve a greater good, she’s joining Lou’s Crew to raise funds and honor those living with ALS.

“I can’t think of a better organization to support,” she said. “When I started running again, I wanted to bring the community with me. I made a shirt with the names of people who’ve made a personal impact on me. Carrying those names gives me strength and determination to keep pushing forward.”

Mandi wants people to understand the unseen weight of caregiving.

“Caregiving for someone with ALS is all-consuming. The longer you’re a caregiver, the more intense it becomes,” she reflected. “The person you were before caregiving may not be the person you are after and that’s okay.”

This November, as we honor family caregivers and veterans, Mandi’s story reminds us that caregiving is an act of love and courage and that the legacies of those we care for live on through the ways we continue to serve others. If you want to join Lou’s Crew alongside Mandi, all it takes is raising $444 and doing an athletic activity. Join Lou’s Crew today.

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