Long Live Childhood 💙 | CHOC Walk 2026
 

For the 18th year, I am honored to be participating in the CHOC Walk in the Park at the Disneyland® Resort. Every year I lace up my shoes for this walk, and every year the reason becomes even more meaningful.
 

For me, CHOC isn't just a hospital.

It's where hope lives.

It's where families find strength on their hardest days.

It's where miracles happen, memories are made, and children are given every possible chance to heal, grow, and thrive.

Since 2008, I have proudly walked to support CHOC, carrying with me the names, stories, and memories of the people who have forever changed my life.


I walk in memory of my dear friend, Yolanda "Yoli" de la Riva.

Yoli worked at CHOC and dedicated her life to serving children and families. She was one of those rare people who could light up an entire room with her smile and infectious laughter. Even while bravely fighting cancer herself, she continued showing up for the children she loved so much. Her compassion, strength, and unwavering spirit continue to inspire me every day.

When Yoli passed away in December 2006, I promised myself that I would continue supporting the place she loved so deeply. Every CHOC Walk is a way to honor her memory and carry her legacy forward.

I also walk for my nephew, Jon Paul. In 2007, Jon Paul was born with a hernia that required specialized surgery when he was just five months old. CHOC cared for him with incredible skill, compassion, and love. Today, he is a healthy young man, a high school graduate, and thriving in college. Watching him reach these milestones reminds me exactly why places like CHOC matter.

And then there is my sweet godson, Levi. In 2019, at just over five months old Levi was diagnosed with Malignant Rhabdoid Tumor (MRT), a rare and aggressive brain cancer.

Nothing prepares a family for those words.

CHOC became our second home. It became the place where we prayed, cried, hoped, and held on to faith. It was within those walls that I had the privilege of baptizing him, surrounded by the people who loved him most.

Levi fought with a courage far beyond his six months of life.

Although he passed away just eight weeks after his diagnosis, he taught all of us what true strength looks like. He remains my lion-hearted warrior, my forever inspiration, and I will always be his "Crazy Nina."

Every year, I walk carrying him in my heart.
 

I walk for Yoli.
I walk for Jon Paul.
I walk for Levi.

And I walk for every child and family who finds themselves facing the unimaginable.
 

Today, more than ever, children's hospitals need our support. Every day, families walk through CHOC's doors searching for answers, treatment, hope, and healing. Donations help fund lifesaving research, innovative treatments, family support programs, mental health services, education, and compassionate care for children facing everything from broken bones to complex illnesses and cancer diagnoses.
No family should have to face those battles alone.

That is why I walk.
That is why I fundraise.
That is why I ask for your help.
 

💙 You can support my CHOC Walk journey by making a donation through the link above. No gift is too small. Every dollar helps provide care, comfort, and hope to children when they need it most.


I dedicate this walk to all children and families—those currently fighting, those celebrating victories, and those whose memories live on in our hearts.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story.
Thank you for supporting CHOC.
And thank you for walking beside me—whether on the course, through a donation, or simply by keeping these children in your thoughts.

Together, we are helping CHOC continue its mission of healing, hope, and extraordinary care.

Long Live Childhood. 💙

With love, gratitude, and hope,

Angie