> 2003 Dance Marathon True Stories

"Best Couple"

When we arrived at the Dance Marathon, we were single, alone, and one of us was suffering from misguided fashion sense.  Ordinarily, a purple bandana is not recommended attire for hauling in the ladies.  However, the Dance Marathon’s combination of 80s music, Spontaneous Combustion, and unlimited Papa John’s pizza generated a magical spark that ignited our relationship’s flame.  At the 1:00 AM swing dance lesson, the seemingly magnetized purple bandana brought us together as dance partners, and we swung away with each other’s hearts.  We thank the Dance Marathon and hope that our story can inspire you!

- Ryan McConnell and Jordana Mosten

"Most Touching"

While I could recall any of a hundred great experiences from last year, my favorite would have to be meeting Jasmine.  Jasmine had the most gorgeous dark eyes, beautiful black hair, and a smile that would knock any one down dead.  That, and she was 5 years old, and the only reason she lived past the age of 1 was help from Children's Miracle Network Funds.  Seeing her showed me that I was involved in something real, in something that made a difference to someone, somewhere.  And throughout the night, every time I felt tired, I reminded myself that if Jasmine could smile after all she'd been through, so could I.
 
-Chris Zeigler

"Brush with Fame"

Elaine Louie and I were the only people from Houston there, and so we
are familiar with local news personalities and have grown up with them.  And
they had Jerome Grey at the Dance Marathon to talk about his experience with
the hospital and I was so excited because he was a celebrity to me, and
everyone else was like, "Who is that guy I don't know him."  So finally I found
Elaine and she understood me, so we tracked him down and got him to sign our
shirts, and now every time I wear that shirt people are still like
"who's . . . what does that say . . . Jerome Grey who's that."

-Nicole Velasquez