our heroes

Braxton was our 1st year recipient and the reason we continue to do what we do.  Braxtons parents share some of his story below. 

Braxton Lee grew our family to three on September 15, 2007. He quickly became a smart, rambunctious boy that loved legos, nerf guns and his friends. He had a tender heart and cared for others immensely. He began to show symptoms of disease and we got a diagnosis on May 17, 2019, National DIPG Awareness Day. DIPG is a cancer infused within the glial cells in front of the brain stem. This news hit us hard, but Braxton wouldn’t let you know that most of the time. He was a fighter, upbeat even when we didn’t have anything to be positive about. Along this journey we’ve had a countless number of people support us, one of which is the Burnout on 66. The show gave Braxton something to look forward to and he was overwhelmed that so many people would do something so kind for him. We are grateful for the volunteers and love, that they showed our family and continue to show to families in need. Braxtons life came to an end on February 27, 2020, but because he trusted Jesus as his savior, goodbye is now see you later.  "The Landburgs"

Since putting on our first benefit show, Braxtons parents and sibling have volunteered every year since and his father has joined our board of directors! 

 Isabella was our 2nd year recipient at our annual car show event. Isabella was diagnosed with stage  IV Rhabdomyosarcoma (a rare type of childhood cancer) in February 2020 right before her 10th birthday.  Unfortunately,  a few short days after the car show Isabella passed away. After Isabella's passing her family started a non-profit organization in memory of her called

 "Jump for a Cure."

Jump for a Cure has since attended our event every year and provides fun entertainment for the children!  We encourage you to look them up on Facebook to learn more about their mission. 

 DJ was our 3rd year recipient. DJ was 12 when he was diagnosed with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. DJ's mother shares his story below.
February 1, 2021, the day my son’s life was changed forever. That  morning I had to look into his beautiful brown eyes and tell him that he  had cancer. You never really know how a 12yr old child will handle  something so grave, or life altering. DJ took a deep breath, and as a  single tear ran down his cheek, he asked, “Will I die?” I was not prepared to answer that question. Should I tell him that it  was all going to be okay, when I knew that it might not be? I told him,  “there is that chance, but the chance of surviving is so much greater.” I  held him for several minutes before he asked what was next.
Next was a lot of testing, poking, and tears. Our days were consumed with saving his life, and for 12 weeks I didn’t work.  As a single parent, that made life extremely hard. While the medical end of it was paid for, through insurance, and St Jude Children’s Hospital,  the bills at home kept coming in the mail.
That’s when I got a phone call from Jake. He explained that someone had  given him DJ’s name and that he, and his organization, wanted to help.  It’s so cliche to say that words cannot express how much we appreciate  everything they have done for us, but it’s so true.  The people that turned out for his event, were amazing. Most of them I  had never met before, and yet they treated us like family. It’s been two  years, and DJ still talks about that day.  Because of Burn Out on Route 66, DJ was able to enjoy a wonderful  Christmas, and we paid off some bills that were making it hard to enjoy  anything else. We are overwhelmed with the generosity of corporate  donors, individuals, and the Burn Out gang.
 

You will not meet better people.
 

“Thank you” will never be enough.
 

Cherish was our 4th year recipient.  Cherish was diagnosed Oct 5, 2021 with leukemia. Cherish also has Down Syndrome and had a few not so good reactions to the chemo medication, causing her to spend part of Oct & Nov 2021 on a dialysis machine and ventilator. When she came off of those she was unable to walk or even sit up on her own for awhile. Cherish has fought a long hard battle but was able to ring the bell in January 2024! 

Tayton is our 5th year recipient. Tayton was 9 years old when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at the end of May, 2023.  Tayton is a sports loving girly. She plays softball (catcher & 2nd base) and basketball. She loves animals, especially horses and dogs. Tayton is still currently receiving treatments for her diagnoses. Tayton is a fighter and she will win this battle! The Burn Out on 66 team will continue to cheer Tayton on through her treatment and beyond.