racing for ezra

Ezra Hartke loved trains, cars, and superheroes. In 2017, at the age of three, Ezra was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a malignant brain tumor. After fighting the disease for 13 months, Ezra passed away.

“Ezra was a shining light to all who knew him – he never met a stranger and never once complained about the difficulties thrown his way,” says his mom, Courtney.

Ezra was born with a rare genetic disorder which made gross motor activities difficult; things like eating, crawling and walking were hard-won milestones, but Ezra never let these difficulties slow him down. Playing with his friends and little brother, Isaac, were some of Ezra’s favorite activities.

During his illness, Ezra and his family were humbled by the care he received in the hospital and the support they received from so many people.  While he was sick, Ezra loved to play and never turned down a chance to race; even if it was from his hospital bed to the nurse’s station down the hall. Each time Ezra was home between chemotherapy treatments, his first request was to go on a bike ride around the neighborhood – he needed to make sure he was still faster than his parents and little brother.

To honor his memory and continue Ezra’s legacy by providing support to Dayton Children’s, his family launched the Ezra J. Hartke Race for Hope in 2019. “It is our sincerest hope that honoring Ezra in this way provides a space for those he loved most to relive their favorite ‘Ezra Moments’ each year,” said Courtney. “We also want to provide those going through their own struggles a beacon of hope and a moment of reflection on what is good in the world.”