With three children in college and two still at home, Lorna and Brian Gager cherish the few moments a year when the whole family is together. Last summer was no exception. In August 2012, the seven of them reunited for a beach vacation in Ocean City, Maryland ― a tradition they have honored for many years. While there last summer, they decided to host a family walk at the beach to raise funds for Parkinson’s disease research.

In celebration of their time together and in honor of Brian, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in June 2010, the family walked three miles along the ocean and raised over $30,000 in the process. Their fundraising secret? Honesty. Before heading to Maryland for The Gager Walk for the Cure, they sent a very personal letter to everyone they know; the letter shared details about Brian’s diagnosis and the optimism that he and the family exude in the face of the disease. The response was overwhelming.

Lorna says, “Brian is very stoic about his diagnosis and believes we have to soldier on. He has a great attitude and is a great dad, never letting how he feels affect the family and what’s going on. Because of that, we have maintained a solid sense of normalcy. Our walk was a simple way for us to honor and thank him, and we were shocked by the outpouring of support.”

The support didn’t just come in the form of donations. Many of the Gagers’ donors expressed interest in participating in The 2013 Gager Walk for the Cure. So, Lorna and Brian are starting to think about their event plans for this year and may even throw a mixed doubles tennis tournament into the mix.

Stay tuned for more from this inspiring family.