Ryan’s last wish was to start a scholarship fund for graduating seniors at Live Oak High School.

By Robert Airoldi

Robert Airoldi

If you recently saw more than 100 people in bright blue shirts out on Coyote Creek Trail, it was “The Future Flux Capacitors of America” 12th Annual Energy for Life Walk, raising funds and awareness for the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation.

The UMDF’s mission is to promote research and education for diagnosis, treatment and cure of mitochondrial disorders and to provide support to afflicted individuals and families.

Local resident Ryan O’Rourke lost his life to this disease in January of 2020 at the age of 31, his father Mike O’Rourke told us.

Ryan was raised in Morgan Hill, attended St. Catherine School and Live Oak High School before graduating from San Jose State University in 2012.

He was known around town for his positive attitude and made everyone he met immediately feel like a friend. When Ryan was first diagnosed with this rare “orphaned” disease at the age of 20, he formed a team “The Future Flux Capacitors of America.” The team name came from the movie “Back to The Future” where the flux capacitor generated energy to boost them into other decades. With mitochondrial disease your energy is depleted and destroyed, so if there were such a thing, a flux capacitor sure would come in handy. But since that is not the case, Ryan’s family and friends continue to fight the cause that took his life way too soon. For more information on Ryan’s team go to www.give.umdf.org/team/474527.

In addition to the UMDF fund raising efforts, Ryan’s last wish was to start a scholarship fund for graduating seniors at Live Oak High School. The main goal of the nonprofit is to provide financial support for college-bound high school seniors and support local initiatives that benefit our community.

The scholarship is awarded annually to two student athletes at Live Oak High School with a minimum 3.0 GPA that have overcome a personal challenge. Two scholarships are granted to deserving college bound seniors each year and to date, four scholarships have been awarded. This year’s worthy recipients have been selected and will be presented with checks at the Live Oak Awards Ceremony later this month, for a total of six scholarships since the inception of the “Stay Strong Fund.” For more information visit www.Ryanorourkestaystrongfund.org

So if you saw a sea of blue shirts walking on the Coyote Creek Trail, it was for a purpose and a need to raise funds to “Fight Mito” and provide scholarships to local Live Oak graduating seniors.

For more information about Mitochondrial disease visit  www.UMDF.org

The May exhibit at the Gilroy Center for the Arts will feature the art of students from Gavilan College, Cabrillo College and the Cabrillo Stroke and Disability Center. A reception will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. May 19. The exhibit will include a bountiful collection of clay sculptures, all inspired by the beauty and variety of plants. From delicate trompe l’oeil flower arrangements, to an eight-foot-tall corn stock, students have created a ceramic exhibition celebrating the abundance and variety of vegetation. This exhibition marks the first partnership between the art departments of Cabrillo and Gavilan, and both schools are delighted to share their love of nature through the medium of clay.

Morgan Hill Life publisher Marty Cheek recently received a request from Chris Ghione, the city’s public services director, asking for 50 copies of the newspaper. Ghione needed them for the kids “bike rodeo” of its inaugural Open Streets event held Saturday.

Youngsters riding their bikes used the rolled-up and rubber-banded newspapers to throw at targets to show off their skills during the rodeo.

Monterey Road through downtown was closed to traffic so locals could enjoy warm-weather activities and entertainment. Kids enjoyed a chalk art zone and face-painting. Mariachi Tapatio, Shand Walton Band and The Soft Lights Band entertained with live music.

It’s a wonderful way to enjoy the day with friends and family — and appreciate our downtown district.