Dax Locke

The Dax Locke Story

The impact of a toddler’s short life on the small community of Washington, IL 

His legacy lives on in Central Illinois.

By Diana Sluder

Dax Ryan Locke was born on June 26, 2007, to proud, first-time parents Julie and Austin Locke of Washington, IL. Julie recalls the first moment she saw Dax as “tasting love for the first time, like true, unconditional love. I couldn’t stop staring at him. I had joy.” Dax’s infancy wasn’t easy, though. By the time he was six months old, he had constant ear infections and colds. On his first birthday, he was admitted to the hospital. After being transferred from hospital to hospital in the Midwest, Dax was diagnosed with AML Leukemia, a rare, malignant form of cancer. He was then referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where he received fantastic care. Dax spent 15 months of his short life there. After chemo and two stem cell transplants failed, the doctors informed Julie and Austin that there was nothing more they could do. They didn’t believe that Dax would live to Christmas.

Decorate for Dax

In October 2009, the Locke family returned to Washington. Since they did not know if Dax would survive to see another Christmas, they began celebrating Christmas early for Dax. He loved to look at all the colorful lights on the trees and houses, so they bought a tree and decorated it and put lights up on the house. They even had presents that Dax could open every day. Eventually, neighbors inquired about the lights and began decorating as well. By Halloween, the entire block was lit up with Christmas lights. Word spread and many in the community showed silent support by putting up lights all around town. The effort became known as Decorate for Dax and even had its own website, where anyone could send in photos of their early Christmas decorations for Dax. Photos came in from around the world – from Australia, Germany, and even Afghanistan. The campaign garnered national attention and was featured on CNN. The family encouraged participants to donate to St. Jude’s.

The Dax Locke Foundation

Dax lived to see Christmas, but lost his battle with AML Leukemia at the age of two on December 30, 2009. His visitation was on Sunday, January 3, 2010, at Crossroads United Methodist Church in Washington, Illinois. His funeral service was held the following day, January 4, at the same location. The family requested that donations be made to St. Jude’s in place of flowers. Many people wanted to continue helping and made donations through the Decorate for Dax website, where a total of $44,000 was collected. “I’m blown away by the power of Dax,” Julie said. By July 27, 2010, Julie and Austin Locke had set up the Dax Foundation.  The foundation was established in memory of Dax Ryan Locke, and its mission is to support families and children at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and other families in need. It has raised awareness about childhood cancer. The foundation pledged to raise $1.6 million, which is not a random amount. This is the amount of money it takes St. Jude’s per day to operate the facility. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay. Julie began organizing fundraisers and building her connections in the community to meet this goal and give back. 

Home for an Angel

One of the first projects undertaken by the foundation was to build a home in Dax’s honor in August 2010. It was called the “Home for an Angel – The Dax Locke House.” It was built at 106 Miramar Lane in the Cypress Land Subdivision in the East Peoria/Washington area. The home was valued at $300,000 and the proceeds for the foundation were estimated to be around $100,000. This home was the result of local businessmen, and long-time friends, Joe LaHood and Paul Gibb, coming together after reading about the First Annual Dax Locke Birthday Bash fundraiser held in June 2010. They were also inspired by Julie Locke’s desire to raise $1.6 million for St. Jude’s. The community came together, with vendors and contractors donating and offering special prices to help build this home. The home was completed by November 2010 and remained open for tours until Christmas, with admission at $5 per person. 

Cherish every moment

Not only is the official name of the foundation “Cherish every Moment – the Dax Locke Foundation,” but this was also a common theme for Julie during her time with Dax and as she helped him through his battle with cancer. She also used the site called “Caring Bridge” to keep her family and friends up to date about Dax’s treatment and to blog about her ups and downs as she watched her child fight for his life. She had no idea that her journal entries would reach more than 2 million people. From these writings, she decided to compile a gift book entitled, “Cherish every Moment – Things I learned from Dax.” The book sold on her website for $10 per copy. All proceeds went to the Dax Locke Foundation to help reach her goal of raising $1.6 million for St. Jude’s. 

“One Last Christmas” and “The Heart of Christmas” 

In November 2010, about a year after Dax’s passing and just before the Lockes were set to deliver their daughter Madeline, songwriter Matthew West reached out to Julie about a song he had written in honor of Dax. Julie reports that several Washington community members had written to Matthew about Dax’s story, and he was inspired to write the song. “The story of Dax Locke and the Locke family really touched me. As a father myself, my heart really went out to this family who had to deal with the loss of their precious child. My hope is that the song, ‘One Last Christmas’ and the video are a fitting tribute to Dax, and that they illustrate for others what the love of a family and the support of a community can do,” Matthew Locke said in an interview on theboot.com. Soon after, a music video was created featuring footage of Dax and the Locke family. It went viral, and movie producers were reaching out to make the song into a movie. The movie, “The Heart of Christmas,” premiered in Hollywood on November 14, 2011, and then on November 30, 2011, in Peoria, IL, as a fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. It began airing on the Gospel Music Channel on December 4, 2011.

Camp Hope

As the Dax Foundation completed its goal of raising $1.6 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, it also gave to other organizations. Under Julie Locke’s leadership, the Dax Foundation has consistently funded the operating costs of Camp Hope, hosting more than 150 campers annually at no cost over the last seven years. The week-long summer camp allows children who have been diagnosed with cancer or other blood disorders to safely participate in a variety of activities while being monitored by medical professionals. The foundation also spent additional time educating the public about the needs of families with patients at St. Jude Children’s Hospital. 

Hope Week

The vision of the Dax Foundation is to spread HOPE. Julie Locke teamed up with Eureka High School and school counselor Stephanie Brown to do the first HOPE Week in 2010. Schools set goals to raise money to contribute to Julie Locke’s pledge of $1.6 million for St. Jude's Children's Hospital. They organize fundraisers like car washes, bake sales, speaking events, bingo nights, and triathlons. Eureka High School solicited donations from the community. The student council sold bracelets and t-shirts. They also organized a 3-on-3 basketball tournament. Eureka High School raised $70,000 over four years. The HOPE Week movement spread to many schools in Illinois, as well as schools in New York and Kentucky. In an article in the Pantagraph, Stephanie Brown said this about HOPE Week: “I have been moved by this power. We have had someone donate their memorial money to our HOPE Week, we have had anonymous donors give significant amounts of money, we have had so many students give their own money, we have had students keep their change for the entire year to save up for the Coin Wars, and so much, much more. I want my children to live in a world like this where people make personal sacrifices for the betterment of the world in whatever capacity they are passionate about. This is why HOPE Week and the Dax Locke Foundation have changed my life." By 2014, HOPE Weeks around the country had raised $112,000 for the Dax Foundation and St. Jude’s.

Ronald McDonald House in Peoria “Dax Wing”

The Ronald McDonald House in Peoria, Illinois, officially opened on December 16, 2019, following groundbreaking in September 2018. Julie Locke Moore helped spearhead efforts to bring a Ronald McDonald House to Peoria and has been instrumental in every aspect of the project since its inception. She has co-chaired its capital campaign for over two years and served on multiple committees, including marketing, in-kind donations, and community engagement. She regularly meets with volunteers, sponsors, donors, and other stakeholders, helps organize fundraising events, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois. Moore also oversees the Dax Foundation’s support for the Peoria Ronald McDonald House, including a $1 million pledge to build a “Dax Wing” for children with compromised immune systems. The wing is lined with “First Responders Hero Rooms,” uniquely designed to encourage and uplift families whose children are experiencing medical difficulties. Her compassionate and caring leadership was recognized by The Lifetime Network in 2015 through its Remarkable Women campaign, which honors extraordinary women who inspire and empower others to make a difference in their communities and the world. (as reported by Peoria Magazine)