Business created in bull rider’s memory, proceeds will be donated to research rare disease he died from
Published at
RIRIE — After a young bull rider’s life was cut short due to a rare disease, his father and stepmother have created a business in his memory, with proceeds being donated to life-saving research.
Todd and Jodi Thueson are from Ririe. They have started “BT Clothing” to bring awareness to HLH disease. BT stands for Blake Thueson, who died from the disease in a short amount of time. He would have been 19 years old this year.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) usually happens in infants and young children. It may also happen in adults. In adults, many different conditions, including infections and cancer, can cause HLH. If you have HLH, your immune system doesn’t work normally.
“Me and my wife Jodi were trying to learn about the disease since we had never heard of it,” Todd said. “As we were learning and reading more about the disease, we just got inspired that we needed to do something to bring awareness for HLH and raise money for a cure and research.”
What happened to Blake
Blake was just 18 when he passed away. It was his dream to become a professional bull rider.
He was feeling sick while competing last November in the 2022 IMBA World Finals in Reno, Nevada. EastIdahoNews.com had previously talked to Todd and Jodi about what had happened.
“He said, ‘Dad, I don’t know if I can ride. I don’t feel good,'” Todd said in a previous interview. “Coming from him, he had to be extremely sick because he rode bulls with torn muscles and bruised ribs.”
Blake was taken to the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City, where many tests were run. A test revealed Blake had HLH disease.
The illness rapidly spiraled and he died on Nov. 19, 2022.
“It took Blake’s life so quickly and we were in shock. That was just something that Todd and I thought, ‘We got to do something to get this out there so hopefully people can catch it sooner,'” Jodi said.
Raising money
With BT Clothing, Todd and Jodi want to give all the proceeds to the University of Utah for HLH research — the hospital that helped Blake. Todd said the doctors, nurses and medical staff were amazing and good to his family while his son was there.
“We have raised quite a bit of money that we are going to donate to the University of Utah on Dec. 23. We are going down there and giving them a big check and meeting with the research center and the doctors over HLH,” he said. “They are absolutely amazed as to what we are doing and taking something so tragic and turning it into something to help and do good.”
So far, they have raised $2,700. He added that a good friend of Blake’s — Maycie Allred — approached him and Jodi to see if she could honor Blake and donate money to HLH research with her senior project at Blackfoot High School.
Maycie put together a barrel, pole and goat tying jackpot on Nov. 11 at the Snake River Arena. The event ended up bringing over 100 barrel racers and many more participants.
She raised $3,200 for HLH research.
“It feels good. I definitely wasn’t expecting that. I was expecting maybe $1,000 and I got triple of what I expected. So it feels good to give back to everybody,” Maycie said.
Her mother — Jess Anderson — said it was great to see the support of the community.
“We had said, if it turns into a good event, we are going to try and do it yearly, like in memory of Blake,” Jess said.
She added Maycie will be there with Todd and Jodi at the University of Utah on Dec. 23 to donate her portion of the proceeds.
Todd and Jodi say they are thankful for Maycie’s contributions.
Remembering Blake
Although Todd and Jodi are doing what they can, it’s still difficult. It’s been over a year since they lost Blake.
“It’s still extremely hard. Going to bull riding events is still hard for us. Every day is hard. You hear a song or a thought comes up (about Blake), it’s just hard,” Todd shared.
However, they are getting stronger and are grateful for the community they live in.
“I still go to the bull riding practices and events that all of Blake’s friends are in and all the kids come up and hug me and tell me that they love me. That’s helped heal us,” Todd said.
Everybody loved Blake, he added. Blake would help people around him.
“If he wasn’t out riding bulls in the arena, he was behind in the chutes and helping every single kid. We want to continue Blake’s legacy on how he treated people,” Todd said.
BT Clothing
BT Clothing has been in operation since September. They sell hats, shirts and other items. Some of the shirts have quotes that came straight from Blake.
“Traveling with Blake all over with being a bull rider, we are cowboys. That’s our little niche,” Todd said.
Though BT Clothing is online, they have traveled to different events to sell in person, like at the 2023 IMBA World Finals in Ogden, Utah, in September.
“We had an awesome turnout there with what we sold,” Todd said. “(One) night was an HLH awareness and was dedicated to Blake. Everybody wore blue because that is the HLH color.”
Todd added there is another upcoming event that they will be at before they donate money to the University of Utah.
They will be a part of “Cowboy Christmas: NFR Viewing and Dinner Show” at the Elks Lodge in Idaho Falls on Dec. 16.
If you can’t make it, check out BT Clothing online by clicking here.
“We are extremely appreciative of the support and the kindness that we have been shown,” Jodi said.