In Memory. In Hope. In Action.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) has forever changed our family. This devastating, rare, and always fatal disease has taken three of our beloved family members, leaving behind memories, milestones, and moments that should have lasted much longer.
What makes CJD especially heartbreaking is that there is currently no cure, no way to stop its progression, and no survivor story to tell. Families are often left with little time to process the diagnosis before watching someone they love decline. That is why awareness, support, and research are so critical!
In 2010 at 54 years old, Mike Roll lost his battle with CJD. Mike was a devoted husband, a loving father, and one of the kindest people you could meet. To his work buddies known as MAD (Make A Difference) Mike. He was the most positive and amazing person I know. Everyone was his friend, people would come up and talk to him like they were old friends, I'd ask who was that and he'd say I don't know they just wanted to talk. He is missed everyday!! He was the best father, brother, son and husband. While he cherished his family deeply, one of the greatest heartbreaks is that he never had the opportunity to watch his grandchildren grow up or create memories with them.
One year later in 2011 at just 18 years old, Dutch Grammel was taken far too soon. He was the life of every gathering, always smiling, cutting up, and finding a way to make everyone around him laugh. He never met a chinese buffet (or any buffet for that matter) that he didn't enjoy to the fullest! Being the second child, he had what the Grammel's call "the dickens." This led to all sorts of adventures like taking a camcorder on a cruise to places off-limits to kids (the casino and the topless deck). Yes, he was stopped by the cruise ship personnel but that didn't stop him from trying. Dutch loved baseball and his family! He'd wrestle with his dad and brother and instead of crying "uncle!," he'd yell "chipmunk has pneumonia!" He'd wear his favorite crazy shirts and ask random people if they liked them! Dutch's energy was contagious; his spirit unforgettable and his kindness and love for Jesus shown in everything he did. Because of this disease, he left an empty Varsity seat in the dugout and never walked the stage for high school graduation.
Most recently in 2026 at 69 years old, Cindy (Roll) Wiggins was taken from the family she loved so dearly. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother whose greatest joy was spending time with those she loved. Cindy had the prettiest and brightest smile. When she smiled, her eyes would actually sparkle. Her laugh was infectious and would often be followed by a snort. Everyone knew that about her. Aside from her family, she adored Christmas and the happiness, traditions, and togetherness that came with the season. For Christmas she decorated every bit of the house and it was 100% ready to go by the beginning of September. That's right, September! If you were her friend, you were supported and encouraged and cared for. If you were her family, you had an absolute champion in your corner. Cindy was placed on this earth to be a mother and a grandmother and she knocked it out of the park! 2 Corinthians 12:15 says: "And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you;" This is how she conducted herself, giving and living for those she loved.
Three lives. Three unique stories. One devastating disease.
We are raising funds for the CJD Foundation to support awareness, education, patient advocacy, family support, and critical research. We dream of the day when a diagnosis of CJD is no longer a death sentence. Until then, families continue to face unimaginable loss with few answers and no cure.
By donating, you are helping fund the fight against a disease that has already stolen a husband and a father, a son and brother, and a wife, a mother, and a grandmother from our family. You are helping bring hope to families who desperately need it and supporting the research that may one day lead to effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure.
Please join us in honoring the memories of Mike Roll, Dutch Grammel, and Cindy Wiggins. Together, we can turn our grief into purpose, our memories into action, and our hope into progress.
CJD has taken three people we love dearly. We refuse to let their stories end there!
Every donation matters. Every share raises awareness. Every step forward brings us closer to a future where no family has to hear the words: "There is nothing more we can do."