Rushe Teacher, Family Win $5K in 'Make a Comeback' Contest

Lori and Jason Griggs will use the prize money to continue physical therapy for their daughter, Kiley, who has cerebral palsy, and to treat Jay's herniated discs.

A Pasco family is getting some much-needed support thanks to their $5,000 victory in a social media contest.  Lori and Jason "Jay" Griggs of New Port Richey are the winners of Tampa-based Laser Spine Institute's "Make a Comeback" contest, a company spokesperson said. The prize money will go toward physical therapy for their 4-year-old daughter Kiley, who has cerebral palsy, to help improve her strength, mobility and flexibility. Lori, a teacher at Rushe Middle School in Land O' Lakes, and Jason, a firefighter in Dunedin, dream of Kiley being able to walk on her own some day. She can’t now. A portion will also pay for chiropractic care and massage therapy for Jay, a firefighter for more than 10 years, who has four herniated discs in his …

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Contest Win Could Help Girl With Cerebral Palsy, Parents

A win in the Laser Spine Institute's 'Make a Comeback' contest could fund therapy for Kiley Griggs.

It's been more than a year since Lori and Jason Griggs turned to the Internet to help find funding to pay for the start of intensive therapy for their daughter, Kiley, who has cerebral palsy. They entered Kiley, now 4, into an online sweepstakes and won the grand prize of $10,000.  Now Lori, a Rushe Middle School teacher, and Jason are seeking a new contest win. This time, the winnings would finance Kiley’s therapy and would also go to funding therapy for her parents. The New Port Richey residents have entered the Tampa-based Laser Spine Institute's Make a Comeback contest. The winner of the contest gets $5,000 to help with spine health. The winner of the contest will be “determined by popular vote from the public Facebook and YouTube …

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Child of Rushe Teacher Makes Progress with Therapy

Kiley Riggs, 3, has cerebral palsy and cannot walk unassisted. But recently, she rode a horse alone for a few seconds.

Child with Cerebral Palsy Reaches Huge Milestone

Residents throughout Pasco and Pinellas counties have rallied to help Kiley Riggs afford therapy to help her walk. Recently, she rode a horse alone for a few seconds.

Kiley Griggs, a 3-year-old with cerebral palsy, is learning to ride a horse. Kiley, who will turn 4 this month, lives in the New Port Richey area with her mother, Lori, a Rushe Midde School teacher, and father Jason “Jay” Griggs, a Dunedin firefighter. She is enrolled in equine therapy at Kiddy Up! Farms, a New Port Richey area business that provides equine therapy to children with disabilities. On Wednesday, Kiley’s mother let folks on the Kiley's Progress Facebook page know about a big step Kiley has taken in therapy. Here's what she had to say: HUGE milestone! Kiley rode, for a few seconds, ALL BY HERSELF!!!!! Lots of tears from this one.  She posted video of the occasion on the Facebook page. Kiley’s parents dream of the Kiley being …

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'God Bless These Little Legs'

Rushe Middle School teacher Lori Griggs and her husband have entered a contest in hopes that the prize money will help their 3-year-old daughter walk—and they need your help.

The parents of Kiley Griggs, a 3-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, won a contest last year that netted them money to fund intensive therapy that they has helped their daughter gain strength. Now they have entered her into another online contest in hopes of winning funds to use for future therapy sessions. Their dream is for Kiley to walk, which she cannot currently do unassisted. The Griggs won the grand prize in the Upromise Dream Wall sweepstakes last year, which promised $10,000 to the winner of that top prize. After government deductions, the total the Griggs have available is less than that.  Lori Griggs, Kiley's mother, is a teacher at Rushe Middle School in Land O' Lakes. Jason "Jay" Griggs, Kiley's father, is a firefighter for the…

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Rushe Teacher 1 Step Closer to Dream Of Seeing Her Daughter Walk

The West Pasco family won a contest that will fund intensive therapy for a girl with cerebral palsy.

On Kiley Griggs' third birthday, her parents received word that they won money needed to enroll her in intensive therapy for children with cerebral palsy or other neurological disorders. Lori and Jason “Jay” Griggs’ dream is for their daughter to walk. Right now, she can’t even crawl or sit up on her own. She’s starting to understand that her cerebral palsy makes her different from friends who can walk or run. The Griggs' dream for Kiley was entered into the Upromise Dream Wall Sweepstakes, a contest in which users posted their dreams online and readers voted for their favorites. Upromise, a rewards program run by Sallie Mae, pledged the grand prize of $10,000 to the entrant with the most votes on Sept. 29. The dream for Kiley was revealed…

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Pasco Parents Dream of Their Child Walking

Rushe Middle School teacher Lori Griggs and her husband want something more for their daughter, but they need help getting it.

Kiley Griggs is nearly 3 years old, and she can already tell her mother “I love you“ in Spanish. She can recite from memory some of the words to Max the Minnow, a picture book, in a soft voice.   She can’t walk or crawl or sit up on her own. Kiley, born prematurely, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Now, she’s realizing her condition is making her different from friends who can walk. “She’s starting to understand now that ‘I should be able to do this,’ ” said Kiley’s mother, Lori Griggs. “Our dream, since she is so smart, is for her to walk." So the dream was entered into the Upromise Dream Wall Sweepstakes. If the Griggs win, they want to use the money from the contest to pay for new therapy that will strengthen Kiley’s balance, …

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