We are proud to recognize Lily Finnigan of Salt Lake City, UT, as the 2021 LEAP Award recipient. Lily has battled Mito Complex-1 for nearly 18 years. During that time, she has been to the ER more than 15 times due to varying issues related to the disease. Despite these challenges, Lily maintains a great outlook on life and is a positive force in the lives
of the people she touches; she never loses that smile.
Her favorite thing to do these days is to ride in her Extreme Motus, which is an off-road “stroller on steroids” that allows her to discover bumpy new trails and awesome vistas that would be no place for a regular wheelchair. Lily’s goal this summer is to summit nearby Mount Timpanogas (elevation 11,700+) and visit the Delicate Arch in
Southeastern Utah near Moab. Lily has weathered many storms and stayed strong through the illnesses and strokes that have been part of her young life in dealing with mito.
An inspiration to so many, Lily lives each day like a gift. A budding young artist, Lily’s plans after high school
is to open an online art gallery with her aunt, Joan Matteucci (aka “Aunt Noni”). Many of Lily’s good friends
compete for a local swim team; their swim caps say “Beat Mito” to raise awareness of the disease.