Thanks for visiting Life Rolls On! My name is Thomas Joy, and on January 24, 2016, I was in a bad car accident and woke up paralyzed in the hospital. I spent nearly three months recovering, with almost two of those months at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals of Nebraska. During that time, friends and family held fundraisers to support me. I didn’t like needing the help, but it was something I couldn’t have gotten through without. Their generosity meant the world to me, and I knew I wanted to find a way to give back.

That’s how Life Rolls On, a semi-truck show for kids, came to be. As a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, the event raises money for the children’s side of Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals of Nebraska, a place I know firsthand is life-changing. My goal is to help kids going through challenges like mine.

In the first three years of the event, the proceeds were used to build a sensory garden and provide new playground equipment for the children at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals of Nebraska. In the fourth year, part of the funds went toward adding an awning over the seating area at the playground, and the rest was directed to the First Hope Pediatric Equipment Fund at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals of Nebraska. This fund supports the purchase of essential equipment for children transitioning back to school or home life, focusing on needs that insurance does not cover. Moving forward, all proceeds from the Annual Truck Show will continue to support this fund, ensuring donations have a lasting impact on children and their families.

I plan to keep donating the money to this fund, knowing it’s helping kids and their families in meaningful ways. It’s important to me that the donations make a real impact because helping kids get home with the tools they need is what it’s all about.