It’s hard to find a last name that embodies our local area more than “Carr.” Lloyd Carr’s national championship and College Football Hall of Fame coaching career left an indelible mark on Michigan football. His son Jason once played quarterback for the Wolverines, and Jason’s wife, Tammi—also a Michigan alum—comes from her own lineage of All-American talent.
Jason and Tammi Carr’s children were destined to carry on that tradition of greatness. Their eldest, CJ Carr, just finished an exceptional season as Notre Dame’s starting quarterback. Their middle child, Tommy, led Saline High School to the Division I regional finals and graduated early to begin his quarterback journey at the University of Michigan.
And then there is their youngest, Chad—uniquely himself in every way, with a legacy that unfolded in a way no one could anticipate, yet brought light and hope far beyond his years.
Chad was born on September 26, 2010, bursting with personality. With a University of Michigan heritage as thick as they come, Tammi says he would joke, “Oh, my favorite team is Alabama. My favorite team is Michigan State. I wear GREEN!” He thought it was hilarious.
Three days before his fourth birthday, Chad was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor called diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). He spent his birthday that year at the Coach Carr Pediatric Cancer Unit at Mott Children’s Hospital—named for his grandfather in recognition of his decades of service at Mott.
DIPG forms in the pons of the brainstem, which controls essential functions like breathing and heartbeat. Due to its location and fast-growing nature, it is inoperable, with no effective treatment and, bluntly stated, no hope for survival. These tumors are almost always found in children.
For the Carrs, everything changed with Chad’s diagnosis. From that moment, it was family first. Jason, who previously traveled often for work, quit his job so the whole family could be together for every moment.
They also recognized an opportunity—not one they wanted, but one pediatric cancer desperately needed. Their last name gave them a platform the disease lacked. “Jason told me, ‘I hate to say this, but we are a good family for this disease. I hate it. But we have reach. Chad has reach,’” Tammi recalls.
With that, #ChadTough was born—first as a hashtag, then as a foundation. The community came out in droves, including the Harbaughs, the Beileins, and schools that competed fiercely on the field but united when it came to raising awareness for this disease.
DIPG had what it needed most: an ambassador. And that ambassador was a sweet, hilarious, smiley little boy with the last name Carr.
On November 23, 2015—14 months after his diagnosis and at just five years old—Chad earned his “angel wings.” But that wasn’t the end of his story. It was the beginning of a movement for every child who would face this devastating disease.
The Carrs founded ChadTough alongside the Mosier family, whose son Michael was diagnosed around the same time. Along with 45 "Family Partners" who have also lost children to DIPG, their first goal was to dispel the “rarity” misconception that often blocks funding. “Pediatric cancer is rare-thank God," Tammi says. "But within pediatric cancer, brain cancer has devastated so many families. We can't ignore it. We have to do hard things.”
In the 10 years since Chad’s passing, ChadTough has done many hard things. The foundation has funded more than $44 million in research at more than 50 institutions worldwide and supported more than 550 families. To ensure dollars go to the strongest science, a peer-reviewed scientific advisory council guides all funding decisions. “They collaborate. They argue. They change their minds,” Tammi says.
This past August, the FDA approved the first ever drug for DIPG—Modeyso™—a watershed moment for ChadTough and a remarkable milestone in a field where most therapies originate as adult treatments and only a select few are designed for children. For a disease long defined by “no options,” this milestone is extraordinary. ChadTough invested $6 million into the research behind it and helped drive the advocacy needed to push it forward.
The foundation also supports families through its Navigator Program, pairing each family with a compassionate nurse who helps interpret options, access tumor boards, evaluate clinical trials, and guide families through decisions no parent imagines facing. “Our nurses bring help; our research brings hope,” Tammi says.
While progress is undeniable, Tammi says, “We’re at a crossroads. We finally have momentum, but federal funding is being cut.” For a disease that waited decades for its first FDA-approved drug, the timing couldn’t be more fragile. This is the moment to push—not pause—and donations are what ensure breakthroughs continue rather than stall.
Chad wasn’t any different from the thousands of children who have received—or will receive—this diagnosis. What made his story different was the platform his family recognized they had and chose to use. In their grief, they ignited a movement carried on the angel wings of Chad, Michael Mosier, and every family with a child who has faced this disease.
As CJ Carr writes in “100 Years of Love in 5 Years of Life,” an article that appeared in The Players’ Tribune, “I think about [Chad] all the time, and at the end of the day, he is a huge source of inspiration for me. For him to go through that tough time, and all that pain, and still keep a smile on his face and keep that positive attitude? I can’t explain to you how much that drives me to push through any challenges that I might face.”
Chad Carr’s life was short, but his legacy lives on in every step toward a future where DIPG is finally curable.
“We are a good family for this disease. I hate it. But we have reach. Chad has reach.”
Learn More:
In the fight for a DIPG/DMG cure, the ChadTough foundation helps patients and families by funding game-changing research and providing navigation throughout their journey. Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) is a rare and aggressive brainstem glioma which usually affects children. This pediatric brain tumor is located in the brain stem and is notoriously difficult to treat. To get involved, donate, or learn more about ChadTough’s fight for a cure, visit chadtough.org.