A Missoula father’s story of his son’s degenerative disease

Dave Stalling

This coming Sunday there will be a fundraiser held at the Ten Spoon Vineyard and Winery in Missoula to raise money for my son, Cory Stalling, to help him get an accessible, adapted vehicle so he can maintain freedom and independence.

Like many kids born and raised in Missoula, Cory has done a lot of hiking, backpacking, camping and fishing. He used to love skiing. Then one winter day in 2009, when he was just 9, I took him to Discovery for a day of skiing, but his legs quickly gave out. He kept falling. After just an hour or so, he wanted to quit and go home. This was unusual, and out of character for him.

He began walking more and more stiff-legged, on his toes, and falling often. Local doctors struggled to figure out what was wrong. Cory’s mom, Christine Stalling, a biologist, began doing her own research, and took Cory to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital where he was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a genetic, progressive, muscle-degenerative disease that first effects the legs and eventually the heart and lung muscles. It’s fatal, and there’s currently no cure.

There is hope. A lot of promising research is underway. Cory takes a steroid-based medication that slows the progression of the disease. Now 24, he can no longer walk. But he’s grown into an amazing young man – smart, happy, fun, adventurous, and more independent than me and his mom could ever have hoped for.

He attends the University of Montana, works as an intern for the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium, lives in an apartment with friends, still loves to camp and fish from canoe, cook and write poetry. He embraces and loves life. I couldn’t be more proud of him.

The Missoula Community has been tremendously supportive. In 2011, a “Run For Our Sons” team, sponsored by Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, ran together in the Missoula Marathon to help raise awareness for DMD and support Cory.

In 2012, two then-Hellgate Hish School seniors, Mac Sullivan and Drew Gottman, rode their bike across the country, from coast to coast, on behalf of Cory as part of the Jett Ride, sponsored by the Jett Foundation and the Missoula-based Adventure Cycling Association. They called their effort, “A Bike Story for Cory.”

Missoula Mayor John Engen declared Cory’s 14th birthday, June 25, 2014, as “Duchene Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Day,” and celebrated with Cory at Adventure Cycling. That fall, Cory served as honorary co-captain of the homecoming Grizzly game and participated in the opening coin toss.

He has traveled to Washington D.C. several times to advocate for legislation such as the Muscular Dystrophy Care Act and has spent time with Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines. When Daines was still a congressman, he took Cory out on the house floor, let him cast votes, and introduced him to Representative Tammy Duckworth, who is also in a wheelchair.

The most recent challenge for Cory, as he tries to navigate an independent life, is transportation. He needs a safe, reliable, adapted and accessible vehicle to get to medical appointments, school, work, shopping and other daily activities.

Accessible vehicles aren’t cheap. Even used ones cost $60,000 - $70,000. Recently, Cory applied for and received a competitive award from a nonprofit organization called the Jett Foundation. The Accessible Vehicle Fund branch of the Jett Giving Fund will match half the cost of an accessible vehicle if Cory raises the other half.

Cory is now working to raise $32,500. He has thus far raised $21,000. A Connecticut-based nonprofit, called “Wheels for Wheels,” has awarded Cory a unique grant, offering to give him $5,000 once he reaches $27,000. In other words, he’s getting close!

So please join us on Sunday and help Cory attain the freedom and independence he deserves by contributing toward his fundraising goal. All are welcome! The event will feature live and silent auctions, raffles, food, wine and live music by the John Floridis Trio (John Floridis, Jennifer Slayden and Cory’s uncle, Ed Stalling).

The event will take place at the Ten Spoon Vineyard and Winery, 4175 Rattlesnake Drive, in Missoula from 6-9 pm. For more information and to donate, follow this link.

Cory has also created a Facebook Page to keep people updated on his efforts.