08/28/2026
A message from our co-founder, Nina:
The Babies Heart Run was started in 2009 by my husband and I after our daughter Bella was born with a heart condition that we had no previous knowledge of. We wanted to help folks like us that found themselves in a similar situation. Hard working people who didn't qualify for any financial assistance because we “made too much money”.
For the last 18 years countless hours and dedication have been put into building the BHR. In 2019 we were at our strongest, with our largest participation being able to help 18 families that year alone with care packages. Covid hit and we were restricted from holding our normal event. We took a major hit and have had to rebuild ever since with challenges. Due to new policies and requirements from local towns and authorities we had to change our starting location. Then, due to the economy and struggles venues had, we were forced to move our ending locations. The State of Connecticut has imposed new requirements for the “parade” rides which have made it nearly impossible for me to obtain a highway permit for this year's ride after having to find a new ending location last minute in May.
With all that said, I want to inform everyone that this year's Babies Heart Run is going to be a much smaller scale, probably the smallest it's ever been to date. The weight that I carry from this decision is beyond anything I've ever felt since I held Bella for the first time on February 3rd 2009… 7 hours after she was born, hooked up to all the machines. When you have built something so amazing and something that has helped so many people…. Something that people look forward to year after year only to not be able to fulfill their expectations, it is truly heart breaking.
The 18th BHR will not be what it has been in years past or what we’ve worked so tirelessly to make it while raising the girls and working full time and part time jobs. The goal has always been to help people, whether that is one family or 20 families at a time. At the end of the day it has never been about the number of bikes that come, or how “cool” it is to be in attendance. It is literally just about trying to help some people out. So, its time to help another family.
One of our BHR families that have been 2 times recipients have found themselves in a challenging time. Mama has cancer and has been fighting HARD but they need help. We will hold a BHR rally at the Mystic VFW on Sunday September 20th from 11 am to 1 pm for the Trask Family. We will have BHR gear for sale and those proceeds will go directly to them. We will have a couple raffles and the money from those will also go to the Trask Family. We are hoping that we will have a few food trucks on hand and some vendors as well… There will be some music playing and cold beer flowing inside the VFW. If you're a musician, a food truck or a vendor that wants to help us make this thing a little bit more please reach out to me.
The Babies Heart Run has become a family. The volunteers, the riders, the police, fire departments, jeeps, radio stations, and everyone in between that has come out year after year to show up and support. I pray that you all understand the struggle it has been to try to make it happen this year just like all the others… It would've been easy to just cancel it and say “oh well” but I feel really strongly that I have a responsibility to not only the BHR community but to the sponsors to make IT happen. Even if it's just this. My hope is that you'll want to come out for the 18th time anyway.
I will never be able to thank all of the BHR community and sponsors for the last 17 years of awesomeness. Even though there will be no registration event, there will be no police escorted ride, and there will be no real “after party” we ask that if you have it in your heart to stop down to see us that you do so. I appreciate each one of you and I hope to still be able to give you a hug on the 20th of September.
Please notice the new and final flyer for BHR 18 with all the details on it 🙂
Much Love,
Nina
