The night before One Small Step Maryland, Jen Lieberman was worried nobody would come.
By the next morning, her family was scrambling to find more raffle tickets.
"My brother-in-law literally ran to Staples," Jake laughed. "We were looking around thinking, 'Oh no... do we even have enough?'"
Jen and Jake set out to raise awareness and support research for Prader-Willi syndrome, the rare genetic condition their daughter, Addison, lives with. Their fundraising goal initially felt ambitious: $5,000.
Within weeks, they realized something bigger was happening.
People want to help. They just need a way.
"When Addison was born, I had so many people around me saying, 'What do you need? How can we help?'" Jen shared.
That collective desire to do something meaningful is exactly why Addison's Army felt like the perfect name. "People banded together and truly became her army," Jen shared.
On the day of the walk, that army deployed in full force.
The support poured in from every corner of their lives – coworkers, childhood friends, therapists, NICU nurses, and doctors showed up. Jake even had a college friend fly in from Atlanta for the weekend and, almost immediately after landing, helped him pick up raffle items in a broken U-Haul.
"My dentist came," Jen laughed. "He originally said, 'I'll just write you a check.' Then he showed up!"
Addison's Army didn't just smash their fundraising goal, going on to raise more than $70,000 for PWS research. They also proved something important: when it comes to a rare diagnosis, no family has to walk alone.
Beyond Fundraising
Some of the most meaningful moments happened in the spaces between fundraising totals and event logistics.
Big brother Landon's baseball team wore Addison's Army bracelets and cheered participants on from a nearby field as they walked by.
Families living with PWS met one another for the first time.
Jen and Jake climbed on top of a picnic table to thank the crowd because there was no other way everyone could see them.
"When Addison was first born, I couldn't walk into my son's daycare for months," Jen said. "I was scared people would look at me differently. I didn't know how people would react to her diagnosis. Seeing how many people showed up for us and how many people truly care…it is the most incredible feeling."
Hope Feels Close
For the Liebermans, supporting research is deeply personal.
"I'm not just going to sit on my ass while my daughter has this rare genetic condition," Jake said. "I'm going to get out into the world and advocate."
Alongside the urgency is something else: hope.
"It doesn't feel like we're 100 years away," Jake said. "It feels like we're a year away and a million dollars short."
Jen agrees. "Research is moving fast. I believe in science and in the future," she said.
It Starts with One Small Step
After the event ended, the Liebermans compared the feeling to planning a wedding.
The build up, excitement, exhaustion, and that strange, hang-overy feeling when it's over.
One thing became clear quickly: This was just the beginning. "We're so ready to keep going," Jake said.
For families considering hosting a One Small Step walk of their own, Jen and Jake have one piece of advice: "If you build it, they will come."
Sometimes, what starts as one small step becomes something much bigger than anyone expected.
Join the Movement
Inspired by Addison's Army? Find a One Small Step event near you, start your own, or make a donation today to help us take the next step toward new breakthroughs for PWS.
