Four years ago, Maize grads and high school sweethearts, Kylie Jobe and Kyle Thornburg lost their lives in a tragic car accident on I-70. The couple was headed home from a spring break trip in Colorado when a drunk driver entered the highway the wrong way and collided with the couple. His blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit.
On March 21, 2015 the fourth annual run/walk Run 2 Believe will be held at Maize High School. The memorial run is an event largely supported by the Maize community and brings the district, regardless of mascot, together.
Emily Gerstner, former swim director of the Northwest YMCA and close friend of father of Kylie Jobe, sparked the idea for the event. In 2012, Gerstner and the families of Jobe and Thornburg created the annual Run 2 Believe 5K to bring awareness to drunk driving and raise money for the Maize Education Foundation, the Oklahoma State University Foundation and after-prom events.
“A lot of people don’t know Kyle or Kylie, they just know Kylie’s brothers Kavan or Kaden, or Kyle’s brother Eric,” Robin Thornburg, mother of Kyle Thornburg said. “Others just hear about it through word of mouth.”
In order to support the grads and their families, Maize athletic teams, clubs and organizations have began to sign up and volunteer for the event. The MHS football, cross country and baseball teams, as well as Student Council, have all signed up to participate or volunteer in the race. Both of the Maize High and Maize South girls soccer teams have been active participants in the race since it began.
Students in the Maize district have the opportunity to receive scholarships with part of the money raised from the race. Like most scholarships, students can apply in the counseling office. “Kyle has two scholarships through the Maize Education Foundation, one for an art student and one for a soccer player,” Thornburg said.
“It’s an honor to me, it’s really overwhelming to me, especially when the weather is really bad. There’s always so many people who come out,” Thornburg said.
“We really want to get across to kids, not necessarily just kids, but adults too, not to drink and drive,” Thornburg said. Last year in order to warn students about drunk driving before prom, the Thornburg and Jobe families brought guest speaker and victim of drunk driving Jared Estes.
With tears in her eyes, Thornburg said she thought Kyle and Kylie would be proud of the message that Run 2 Believe delivers. “As for what Kyle and Kylie would think about us, I think they would be proud of the point that we are trying to get across.”
Visit www.run2believe.org to register
