On Grandparent’s Day we celebrate the people who raised us, the power of family and the bonds between a grandparent and their grandchild.

When her father, Chip Levick, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) at age 45 in 2001, Leslie Burket was a junior in high school and recalls knowing very little about the disease. She remembers first associating the disease with iconic actor, author and advocate Michael J. Fox. 

Now, almost 20 years later, Leslie’s family lives in St. Petersburg, Florida and has expanded to include her husband, Tom, and three children Trent (17), Lila (14) and Teddy (8). She says her father’s PD diagnosis changed the way she views life.

“We learned young how precious life is and what real love and strength is,” Burket said of her family and her father’s early-onset Parkinson’s disease.

As her father’s Parkinson’s progressed, Leslie and her husband made the decision to build a new home that could also accommodate her parents, whose current home posed several challenges to Chip. After living with PD for about 15 years, Chip and Ginger, (who the family affectionately calls Gigi) moved in with Leslie and Tom.

It was during this time that Leslie’s youngest son, Teddy, was born. Still too young to attend school, Teddy never knew life without his grandparents at his side. He developed a special bond with his grandfather, who he affectionately called “Chippy.”

Leslie, who worked from home at the time, while caring for her father remembers Teddy and Chip bonding over Play-Doh, playing games such as UNO and Memory and watching cartoons together. She feels that Teddy added years to her father’s life.

The two of them shared a special, once-in-a-lifetime bond, as noted by Leslie.

Unfortunately, Chip passed away in May of 2023. “Everyone loved my dad, he was a big character,” Leslie said of him. “Our family was next to him till the very end. We are so incredibly thankful we got to share that time together.”

Feeling the impact of loss at such a young age, Teddy was motivated to action. Having seen his older siblings partake in lemonade stands he decided to have one of his own. But rather than spend the earnings on himself, Teddy decided to donate the proceeds to The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) instead.

“The efforts of MJFF meant so much to my dad and our whole family, we are so thankful for the work they do,” said Leslie. “Teddy misses Chip dearly. He has grown up with him, I know getting to make this donation helped him feel like he was able to help.”

This year on Grandparent’s Day, we celebrate the loved ones in our lives whether they are with us in-person or in our hearts. It is for them and so many others that we continue to push forward in our mission to find a cure. The Michael J. Fox Foundation is always looking to amplify the stories and perspectives of our community. To share your story, click here or connect with us on the Foundation’s social channels: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.