Adopted Families

Eli Barkhurst

The Barkhurst family is our adopted family for 2018 Vintage Torque Fest. Eli, who resides in Dubuque, IA, is a thirteen year old boy who was diagnosed with Atrioventricular (AV) Canal Defect and Mitral Valve Stenosis. He has undergone 2 open heart surgeries, as well as an Achilles lengthening surgery, and will have his 3rd open heart surgery this July.

After his 2nd surgery Eli suffered complications that left him in a wheelchair. It has taken Eli months in physical therapy to gain the ability to walk and yet he remains a bright light living by his motto “Life is hard, live it full and try new things.”

Join us around 2:30pm in Building B on May 5th as we present The Barkhurst family with a check from Helping Hannah's Heart Foundation. Thank you all for the support and making this happen each year!

Will Kohn is our adopted child for Vintage Torque Fest this year. He's 5 years old and was born with HLHS (Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome). He's had 3 open heart surgeries and is currently in Iowa Children's Hospital waiting for a new heart. Will has been on the transplant list since July 2014 and is in desperate need of a transplant. Please come and help support this family as we present them with a check on May 6th at 3:00pm in Building B at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds.

Meet our Heart Warrior for this years Vintage Torque Fest 2016! Cory Haan is a 14 year old teenage boy with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). His young body has endured 3 major open heart surgeries rerouting his heart to a 2 chamber heart, as well as many heart caths. Looking at this handsome kid play soccer and karate you'd never know he's operating with half of a heart. Come to Vintage Torque Fest on Saturday April 30th, as we present a check to this well deserving family!

Our heart warrior for 2014 Vintage Torque Fest was Taylyn Wiltse. This precious little girl was born with Double Outlet Rght Ventricle(DOVR), narrowing of the Aortic Arch, and a Ventrical Septal Defect (VSD). Her little body endured many surgeries and we were all devasted for the Wiltse's when she passed away in December 2014, just shy of her 1st Birthday. Her Mom, Erin, and Grandparents, Scott and Vicki, have been such an inspiration as they came back to the show in 2015 to help pay it forward to another child with heart defects! We so love them and are blessed to have them be a part of our extended family.

Cory Haan

Will Kohn

Taylyn Wiltse