Meet the Mike Robertson Family
By Christina Eichelkraut
For Mike Robertson, chairman of BIAAZ’s 2025 Run, Walk & Roll signature fundraiser, the mission is personal.
In 2015, Mike’s 16-year-old son Thomas sustained a severe traumatic brain injury. Thomas’s parents and three siblings were shocked and completely at a loss as to how to proceed.
“You don’t know what to do,” Marianna, Thomas’s mother, said. “When we first heard that Tommy had this injury, we were devastated and confused. We didn’t know where to begin or who to turn to.”
Meet the Robertsons! After a very successful event, Run, Walk, & Roll 2024 Chair Clayton Echard passed the torch to Mike and his family!
Mike and Tommy are happy to take on the fun and challenges of raising funds to continue recreation and socialization for BIAAZ clients.
Meet the Mike Robertson Family
By Christina Eichelkraut
For Mike Robertson, chairman of BIAAZ’s 2025 Run, Walk & Roll signature fundraiser, the mission is personal.
In 2015, Mike’s 16-year-old son Thomas sustained a severe traumatic brain injury. Thomas’s parents and three siblings were shocked and completely at a loss as to how to proceed.
“You don’t know what to do,” Marianna, Thomas’s mother, said. “When we first heard that Tommy had this injury, we were devastated and confused. We didn’t know where to begin or who to turn to.”
Meet the Robertsons! After a very successful event, Run, Walk, & Roll 2024 Chair Clayton Echard passed the torch to Mike and his family!
Mike and Tommy are happy to take on the fun and challenges of raising funds to continue recreation and socialization for BIAAZ clients.
While the family grappled with the grim prognosis at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Marianna found her way to The Emily Center, a resource library. There, she found information about BIAAZ and called the help line.
BIAAZ connected her and Mike to several resources and within five days of their son’s accident they had a care plan mapped out for Thomas.
“BIAAZ is an excellent resource,” she said. “They have information, whether it’s about terms the hospital uses like the Glasgow Coma Scale, neurostorming, etc. If somebody doesn’t have a medical background, they cannot comprehend half the information the doctors are telling them, especially in the initial stages of shock and uncertainty. BIAAZ provides an educational summary glossary.”
BIAAZ also guided Mike and Marianna in navigating the complexities of insurance coverage for Thomas’s care, as well as providing a community that understood the family’s experiences.
“BIAAZ offers resources and community,” Marianna said.
Thomas ultimately underwent two brain surgeries, and after receiving acute inpatient care in two states, he returned to Arizona in 2016, far more recovered than doctors had originally predicted. Still, Thomas was nevertheless a survivor who navigates some permanent disabilities daily.
For his part, Mike became an active member of BIAAZ’s advisory board and participated in several BIAAZ events.
“Tommy’s injury shifted our focus within the family to provide him support for his recovery,” Mike said. “It left no room for socializing outside the home. Participating in brain injury community events helped me connect with others going through similar experiences and provided support, socializing, and a new sense of belonging.”
For the past 2 years, Mike participated in the annual BIAAZ Run, Walk and Roll event.
“Getting engaged in these events helps provide support to brain injury survivors such as socialization activities, dinners, art events, and even avails opportunities for camping, cycling, and water sports,” he said. “It’s a wonderful fund-raising activity and a great way to give back to the community.”
His previous experience volunteering with the Special Olympics offered insights into how a sporting event can bring the community together, and he was excited to have this experience again.
This year, Mike is bringing his family on board as team members. He’s also setting the event up as a volunteer project at his work.
Clayton Echard, the previous event chair, has passed the baton to Mike Robertson and his family, who will serve as our 2025 Run, Walk, & Roll Chairs.
Ultimately, Mike hopes to have a 25-member team that will run/walk the 5k. If interested in joining his team, Robbie’s Runners, sign up when you register here: Run, Walk & Roll
The event will be on Saturday, March 22, at Kiwanis Park in Tempe. There are still plenty of spots for participants, volunteers, and sponsors. Hope you can join us!
Christina Eichelkraut is a recovering print journalist who founded Christina Copy Co. in 2011. When her keyboard isn’t clacking, she bakes complex artisan bread, nerds out on political science, uses her fountain pens to write to pen pals the world over, and reads long past her bedtime in a joyful disregard of her alleged adulthood. Christina earned her B.A. in Mass Communications with an emphasis in print journalism in 2006 from Franklin Pierce University.
ABOUT BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION OF ARIZONA
The Brain Injury Association of Arizona (BIAAZ) is the only statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of adults and children with all types of brain injuries through prevention, advocacy, awareness and education. BIAAZ also houses the Arizona Brain Health Resource Center, a collection of educational information and neuro-specific resources for brain injury survivors, caregivers, family members and professionals.
What began in 1983 as a grassroots effort has grown into a strong statewide presence, providing valuable life-long resources and community support for individuals with all types of brain trauma at no charge.