Honoring Mary J. Szczepanski — 38 Years of Never Giving Up
(616) 791-2069"She didn't just survive — she showed us all how to truly live."
"Mary J. Szczepanski was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and faced it not with bitterness, but with a quiet, unshakeable strength that touched everyone around her."
Mary J. Szczepanski lived with Multiple Sclerosis for 38 years. For nearly four decades, she woke up every morning and chose to face the day with grace. She raised her family, loved her community, and never once let the disease define who she was.
Her son Rick watched her navigate the challenges of MS with a spirit that could not be broken. He saw her struggle. He saw her persevere. And when she passed, he carried her three most powerful words with him: "Never Give Up."
In 1997, Rick founded this scholarship in her honor — not as a memorial, but as a living tribute. A way to take the love she gave her family and multiply it across the country, inspiring thousands of young people to stand up and fight the disease that shaped his childhood.
Today, Rick's wife — also named Mary — has been living with MS for 36 years. Two Marys. Two generations of courage. One unbreakable family mission.
Every student who participates in this scholarship carries a piece of Mary's story with them. Every dollar raised is a tribute to her resilience. Every plaque awarded is a reminder that ordinary people, when they refuse to give up, can do extraordinary things.
"In loving memory of Mary J. Szczepanski."
Her spirit lives on in every student who dares to say, "I will not give up."