Bret Michaels inspires Turlock girl with juvenile diabetes

Rock stars aren’t always the first people you go to for good role models. But for 7-year-old Turlock resident Ellie Hart and friends, Bret Michaels continues to be an inspiration for those with juvenile diabetes.

The Poison frontman met with Ellie and her 9-year-old Turlock friend, Clark Van Gaalen, before his show at the Stanislaus County Fair on Thursday night. The singer, known for his rock hits including “Nothin’ but a Good Time” and “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” has had Type 1 diabetes since he was 6 years old. Over the years, he has helped to raise awareness about the chronic condition.

Ellie, a third-grader at Whitmore Charter, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in February. Since then, her parents, Emily and Brian Hart, have been working to get her a service dog. The dogs are specially trained to detect hypoglycemia – when blood sugar levels are falling or low – in their diabetic owners. That’s where Clark, a fourth-grader at Keyes Charter School, comes in.

The Hart and Van Gaalen families have been friends for several years. The Harts are patients of Clark’s mother, Turlock dentist Amethyst Schlecht-Van Gaalen. When the Van Gaalens learned of Ellie’s plight, they – Clark in particular – wanted to help. Service dogs for diabetics cost $20,000 to $25,000, which is not covered by the Harts’ insurance.

So Clark, who has been an avid golfer since age 3, organized “Clark’s Drive ‘Fore’ Ellie to Thrive” fundraiser this summer. He is getting sponsorships and donations for the benefit, which will take place Aug. 9 and 11 at the Turlock Country Club. He plans to play 100 holes of golf to raise money for Ellie’s service dog during the event.

“This is a cause Clark can really understand and see,” Schlecht-Van Gaalen said. “He wants other kids to see they also have the power to help people.”

Clark’s initiative already has inspired some of Ellie’s young cousins and friends – Jackson and Lincoln Hart and Drew and Nolan Walker – to do their own jogathon fundraiser earlier this week, which raised about $2,000. Ellie’s mother, Emily Hart, said they’re touched by everyone’s generosity and support. She said having the children meet Michaels was a way to show them people can thrive and succeed with the condition.

“I’ve told her, ‘You can do anything. Don’t let this stop you,’” Hart said. “And it 100 percent helps to see someone like (Michaels) out there.”

When the families spoke with Michaels at a meet-and-greet before the show, Ellie showed him her diabetic bracelet and he exclaimed, “I’ve got one of those, too.” The rocker also signed some fundraiser fliers for the kids and posed for pictures.

Once the show kicked off before some 2,500 people at the Bud Light Variety Free Stage, Michaels made mention of the encounter from the stage. “We got to meet some diabetic families and kids before the show,” he said. “It was an amazing feeling. We’ve donated a lot of money back into the community the last time we were here. And we we intend to do the same here tonight after the show.”

Already the benefit has netted the support of another big-name music star. Clark ran into another Stanislaus County Fair headliner, Colt Ford, at the Turlock Country Club playing a round of golf last week. After he was told about Ellie’s fundraiser, Ford made a donation. The Harts hope to have Ellie’s service dog by the start of next summer.

“(Ellie) is surrounded by so much love, it’s amazing,” Hart said. “The biggest thing of all is raising awareness.”

This story was originally published July 17, 2015 at 4:22 PM with the headline "Bret Michaels inspires Turlock girl with juvenile diabetes."