The Foundation

Brad Hunt

Co-Founder
Colton Hunt Foundation

[email protected]

My name is Brad Hunt, I was lucky enough to have Colton choose me as his father.

As a parent the traditional thought is that we as parents teach our children. We teach them there values, teach them how to handle adversity and challenges that life enviable throws at us all, teach them the importance of being kind to others, teach them the value being honest and to work hard at whatever they do.

Colton had all these values at a very young age, in fact it wasn’t I or others that taught him, he seem to have these qualities deeply planted in him in every way.

This was not a result of my efforts, or his Mothers and Sisters efforts, his purity was genuine and so sincere from the day he was born.

The roles where truly reversed in that he reminded us the importance of these values, he made us want to be better at practicing these traits, to strive to always be better people.

I watched him fight cancer for (5) years, never complaining, never willing to trade the pain for any positive experience he could take from any moment.

He fought with indescribable courage and taught us all along the way.

We as a family were extremely blessed to have a team of people around us to assist with resources to fight in a way that most are not able to do.

We traveled the country receiving care in our efforts to get Colton better and keep him safe.

We concluded early on that Colton’s purpose here was bigger than all of is that loved him, it was the only way to make sense of why his path was so challenging.

He paved the way for many children behind him through his participation in studies around the country.

It’s our hope and believe that those that now are forced to follow his path will do so with a little more ease and the Doctors will have a little more information to treat these children.

Now that Colton is no longer here, we are committed to continue to give purpose to his life by helping others fight, helping those do not have the recourses we were so fortunate to have.

As a Father feeling helpless when it comes to helping our children who are in a unwanted fight, is an emotion that is very hard to manage.

It is my hope that through our efforts we can provide resources that make the fight a little more manageable for everyone involved.

Kim Hunt

Co-Founder
Colton Hunt Foundation

[email protected]

I’m Colton’s mom, Kim.

I had the honor of taking care of my son and I feel like the luckiest person that he chose me for such an important job.

From the day he was born we were inseparable. We did everything together from playing to doing groceries to spending countless nights and weeks in the hospital. We spent 8 years and 3 months together and not an hour goes by since he passed that I don’t think of him. He’s always on my mind with everything I do. I miss every single minute without Colton and getting used to new daily routines is not easy. Colton was the bravest, strongest. most beautiful soul you could ever meet. He chose me to guide him and teach him but he was the one who showed me the way. How to brave and strong and face obstacles head on. Live life with passion and love and judge no one. He taught me the most valuable lessons and from such a smart, kind little boy he was chosen to lead us all. Colton made the world a better place and its my job now to carry on his legacy, his love and compassion toward others. I hope I can make him as proud as me made me to have such an amazing, beautiful son. He has very big shoes to fill but I will “just try”.

Bria Hunt

Co-Founder
Colton Hunt Foundation

[email protected]

I had the privilege of being Colton’s sister.

I gained so much, and learned so much from my brother in the short but impactful eight years he was here with us. I still am humbled and so proud that he choose to be a part of our lives. It was an indescribable relationship with an indescribable person. From birth to eight years old, Colton impacted every person he met, in a way I didn’t even know was possible. Even though I was much older, he was the one teaching me life lessons. To treat everyone equal, live in the moment, let the little things go, handle the big things and then move on, always laugh, always smile, and love unconditionally. I think one of the reasons my brother was able to impact so many was because he was pure, he was kind, and all those things I said above is so rare these days. He truly brought hope and joy to everyone. He pushed people, he motivated me to be better. His lessons and his life are my motivation for this foundation and my passion for this cause.

My hope is to combine my personal passion and experience with my education (BS in Psychology) to reach out to those in need and give back to those who are in the same situation my family was in for several years.

I became part of nonprofit organizations after standing beside my brothers 5-year battle with Leukemia.

As the sister, I always thought it was my job to teach Colton about life, however it was the other way around and now my goal is to strive to impact lives as my brother did.

I knows firsthand the importance of both medical and holistic treatment and I want to use that to give back, and to be part of a team that will provide the needed resources to families.

I want to reach out to those fighting Cancer in the community and allow children the opportunity for the childhood they deserve, to allow the creation of lasting memories, while receiving the support the family needs and deserves.

Every family deserves a fair fight, and every child deserves a childhood.

My goal is to honor the special light and life of Colton and “just try” to impact as many lives the way he did.

Stacie Winslow

Stacie Winslow has been involved with multiple charitable organizations throughout the course of her career, all of them dedicated to helping children in need.  She was a founding member of Westside Outreach Center, dedicated to helping women and children break the bonds of poverty and now has the honor of working part time with Make-A-Wish Colorado.  Her specific area of interest is fundraising to meet the specific needs of children and she has facilitated record shattering fundraising among high school students in her community with her ability to passionately communicate the importance of giving.  Her role as a public speaker at local schools, universities and corporations allows her a platform to share her passions.  She has volunteered her time with the ALS Association, the Facial Pain Association, Champa House, the Denver Rescue Mission and more.  She is a Kansas native who traveled West and settled to make her home and raise a family in Colorado.

It was through her work at Make-A-Wish Colorado that her life would be forever changed by Colton Hunt.  His contagious zest for life made her want to be a better person, better role model, and to change the way the United States looks at cancer research and funding as well as the families affected by it.  She believes that we must confront the realities of cancer head on and accommodate and support every opportunity for every child to achieve 100% remission.  Along the way, she hopes to share memories, smiles and laughter with families who are forced into scary medical journeys.  Just like she was able to with Colton Hunt and his family.  Colton’s smile and voice are etched in her memory, propelling her to ‘just try’ to do more.

Corey Rose

Morning Anchor
KUSA-9News/Channel20

Corey Rose is an award winning journalist and has been in television news for more than a decade.

She joined the KUSA- 9NEWS team in Denver, Colorado in January 2010.

Currently, she’s the Morning Anchor on 9NEWSMORNINGS, a show that has remained number one for years and is the recipient of several awards including the Heartland Emmy Awards and the Colorado Broadcasters Association awards.

Before her time in Denver, she worked in Wyoming and Southern California.
Community service has always been a focal point for Corey and says the best part of her job is giving back and helping others.

She is wholeheartedly involved in several local charities including the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the Colorado Professional Fire Fighters Foundation.

Corey hosts an annual benefit concert in honor and memory of her father who passed away in 2010 of Leukemia. Each year, she raises money to grant a wish to a Colorado kid fighting Leukemia.

That’s how she met Colton Hunt. The Hunt family touched the hearts of many and Corey chose them to be the recipient of the fundraiser in 2015.

She was truly blessed to get to know Colton and his family over the next few years.

It’s no surprise that his contagious personality has sparked the interest of people all over the country wanting to make sure his name and positive outlook on life is continued for many years to come. #JustTry #ComeOnNow #YesMaam

Kelly Maloney

Kelly Maloney is a pediatric oncologist.  She completed her pediatric residency in 1994 and her Heme/Onc/BMT fellowship in 1998.   She initially practiced at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and has been at Children’s Hospital Colorado since 2005.  She ran the largest completed Standard risk Acute lymphoblastic leukemia trial which was open in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia/New Zealand.  Her particular interest and passion is children with Down syndrome and Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

She is passionate about improving the care and outcome of every child with leukemia.  She strives to provide the best care she can.  She feels privileged to be a part of each child and family’s journey.  She cared for Colton for many years and received more from him than she gave.  He showed unconditional love, no matter who you were.  He had a great big personality, with smiles, love, and high fives to all.  He was a fighter and endured so much.  He taught her to smile and find the good in everything.  She will continue to honor him and his contagious personality to the best of her ability.

Rich Kolsch

Richard Kolsch is the Managing partner of a Multi-State Real Estate Investment Firm.

His 25 years of experience in Management, Finance and Leadership with be invaluable to the day to day operations of the Foundation.

Rich lives in New York with his Wife Heather and three Children, Emma Blake and Brock. Rich’s close relationship with Colton and his family and the fact he is a Dad himself has given him a strong desire to help the foundation anyway he can.

Rich would like to help keep Colton’s memory alive and help the Foundation help families that are going through the same kinds of things Colton’s did in a way that would make Colton Happy and proud.

I had the absolute privilege of knowing Colton for more then Seven Years. Unfortunately, Colton was forced to battle Leukemia for 5 of those years.

The most amazing thing about Colton is he never considered anything “unfortunate”. He always had a smile, a high five, a “what’s up buddy”. It did not matter where I saw him, whether it was at Shanahan’s for our traditional steak dinner when I was in Denver or whether it was in his room at Children’s hospital after receiving a treatment and feeling as terrible as terrible could be he always has a smile. He was truly amazing.

I remember the ups and downs over the years while he was battling this terrible disease. I remember feeling the incredible highs when Brad would tell me that Colton was in remission and we hoped he had finally beat it for good and the incredible lows when a blood test would show that it had come back. What I also remember is Colton never changed. Sure, he would be more active and playful when he was feeling better and not having go through the endless treatments and rounds of Chemo.  But what I mean and what really stood out is COLTON never changed. He was always that caring, happy, respectful and loving child. It did not matter if he was getting one of hose rare breaks to feel healthy like most children do or if he was back to battling that disease he was always COLTON. I have never experience such courage or strength in my life.

I starting by saying it was a privilege to know Colton but I think it actually more of a gift. Having someone like Colton in your life, for however short a period of time, makes you a better person. I know I will never be the same as I was 8 years ago.

Donations to the Foundation will try and help other families battling this disease and hopefully one day be part of the cure. The world would be a much better place without this disease.