On a weekend built around singing, dancing and fun events, the moments that mattered the most were often the quiet ones.
For Amelia Early, the mother of Dani-Lynn Early, a miracle child, it wasn't the music or the huge crowd of volunteers that stood out. It was a reminder that they were no longer fighting alone.
"It's a little overwhelming to see all of these people who have never met us who join Dance Marathon," Early said. "It's also very heartwarming to me because now these people are a part of our family. If it wasn't for their donations, my daughter wouldn't be here today."
Behind the lights and energy of the University of Florida's Dance Marathon, stories like that of Early and her daughter took center stage. This year's event, held March 28-29, raised more than $1.15 million, all in support of children and families receiving care at UF Health Shands Children's Hospital.
The number was never just a number. It was hospital visits made easier, treatments made possible, and a community that showed up when it mattered most for the families inside the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
The journey for Emily Ramondetta began with a diagnosis that changed everything.
When Ramondetta noticed that one of her identical twin daughters, Ella, was walking differently than her sister, she decided to take her to the doctor because she felt something may be wrong with her legs. That doctor's visit redirected them to an orthopedic specialist, where a mass in Ella's tibia bone was found.
She was admitted to a local children's hospital and was scheduled for surgery the next month. What seemed like a simple procedure opened their eyes to the journey that was about to begin.
"The next month she had her surgery and we could tell within days that it didn't work," Ramondetta said. "That began a journey to figure out what we were dealing with."
What followed were long days at the hospital, uncertainty and moments no family ever plans for. Through it all, support tied to Dance Marathon helped ease the burden, whether through medical resources, emotional support, or simply knowing others cared.
"It gives me hope and encouragement," Ramondetta said. "They were what we didn't know we needed on the journey. Some days it's hard and you feel alone, so to see hundreds of kids who have no other reason but they believe in this cause to help means the world."
The perspective of these families is what drives hundreds of University of Florida students to give their time each year. For student volunteer Daniela San Martin, Dance Marathon became more than just an event.
"Getting to see all the families tell their stories and getting to see the emotion on their faces despite them saying their story a million times," San Martin said. "Every single time they still tear up, they still express how much what we've done has done for them and how they've seen the way we've impacted their stay at the hospital."
As with many involved, San Martin said the experience reshaped how she understood the impact of their efforts. What begins as a campus tradition quickly becomes something more personal. Students may spend months preparing, but it's the connections with families that stay with them long after the event ends.
The more than $1.1 million raised this year will go toward treatments, research and support services for pediatric patients and their families, resources that extend far beyond a single weekend.
For many, the true impact is measured in smaller moments — moments of reassurance and joy and moments where families feel seen. For a Miracle Kid like Nate Ferrell, Dance Marathon is not just a fundraiser; it's a lifeline.
"It is extremely inspiring to see so many people gather for one cause and fundraise so much money for something that I have really struggled with in my life," Ferrell said. "Every year when I'm in the hospital, I'm always able to remember how many people are out there fighting for me. That always gets me through some of the most troubling times with my disease."
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