Dodge Center family starts 5K in honor of infant daughter

(ABC 6 News) – This weekend is full of events in West Concord with their annual Survival Days, but it isn’t the only thing happening.

The first ever LaMae Bright Light 5K kicked off, an event created by Allison and Jacob Rislov, in honor of their infant daughter.

The Rislov’s daughter, LaMae, died unexpectedly on February 23, 2022.

RELATED: Remembering LaMae Rislov

When the family lost their youngest daughter, the causes were unexpected and unknown.

“She was happy one second, she was playing, she was getting diaper changed, and that was it,” said Allison Rislov. “She was unresponsive and it’s not just kids going to sleep and not waking up.”

The loss of a daughter, a niece and a sister who was only 15 months old, hit the family very hard. Nick Haltvick is a brother-in-law to both Allison and Jacob and was the one who discovered the Sudden and Unexpected Death in Childhood (SUDC) organization.

Once he got the whole family connected with the organization and learned they sponsor runners in the New York City Marathon, he inquired about running in it to represent LaMae and the rest of the family.

“My boss down at MnDOT introduced me to another family that was going through the same thing and they got us connected to SUDC,” said Haltvick. “Things just kept rolling and eventually I got into the marathon. SUDC has been such a great help to Allison and Jacob and it’s the best club you never really want to be apart of, but once you are, it’s great.”

Following Haltvick’s participation in the New York City Marathon, the Rislov’s organized a 5K of their own to honor LaMae. The 5K on Saturday brought together many friends and family of the Rislov’s that participated, like the Blazvk family, who went to high school with Allison and Jacob in Dodge Center.

“We love the idea of being here to come support and show our love because friends and family are the most important thing in our life so we’re honored that they would invite us to come out and do it,” said Joe Blazvk.

It also means a lot to Lisa Wright, who runs childcare in Dodge Center and took care of LaMae and still does care for her sister, Emma.

“It’s been traumatic because day care kids are like my kids, but just to be here to support them and showing them my support and love, it’s been so great,” said Wright. “I have known Allison since she was friends with my daughters in kindergarten, and to see all these people here for them, it’s so wonderful.”

The Rislovs say it means the world to them to have all of these old friends come together and support their family.

“We’re super overwhelmed. With just gratefulness of all these people that showed up for her and showed support and it’s just bringing awareness, it’s just very overwhelmingly heartfelt,” said Allison Rislov.

The Rislov’s raised around $6,500 for LaMae’s 5K and will be donating half of it to SUDC. They say the other half will go to the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department. They are hoping to make LaMae’s Bright Light 5k an annual event.