In Loving Memory of Blakely Elizabeth Puckett
Why We Run
Blakely Elizabeth Puckett was born on April 28, 2017 and passed away on February 18, 2018 after living 9½ months with Holoprosencephaly (HPE), a rare condition in which the brain fails to fully divide. Though her life was short, it was overwhelmingly meaningful.
From the moment we learned of Blakely’s diagnosis, we were forced to wrestle with life, death, faith, and God Himself. Through her weakness, Blakely taught us that the meaning of life is not found in strength, length of days, or achievement, but in love - love that is freely given, unearned, and undeserved.
Blakely lived fully dependent on others, yet her life drew people into the presence of God. She allowed herself to be loved, and in doing so reflected God’s love to everyone around her. Even in suffering and death, love was present.
Each year, we run or walk 4.28 miles to honor Blakely and proclaim that her life mattered. This run is a reminder that in a world where everyone dies, life is made meaningful through Jesus - by being loved and by loving others. We run in remembrance, in worship, and in hope of the love that overcomes death.
This run is completely free! We’ve created this page to provide more information and to share the story of Blakely.
If you’d like to purchase a race day shirt, you can do so through Bonfire. All proceeds from shirt sales are donated directly to Families for Hope. Shirts can be purchased here: Bonfire Store.
If you’d like to read or hear more about our time with Blakely, you can find stories here: blakelybumblebee.com, or watch here: YouTube.
Please share this page if you feel led! We love spreading the story of Blakely Bumblebee.
Where We Run
While it’s always special to meet up in person and walk or run together from Liberty Park in Inverness, Florida the Blakely Bumblebee Run has taken place all across the country since 2018 - in Virginia, Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Missouri to name a few. You can also join virtually from anywhere, so friends and family everywhere can honor Blakely. This run is a way to come together, remember Blakely, and celebrate her life.
Donations & Shirts
If you feel led to give, all donations go directly to Families for Hope (https://familiesforhope.org), a nonprofit supporting families affected by Holoprosencephaly (HPE). You can give through this race page or directly on their website. Funds help provide education, medical resources, advocacy, and compassionate support to families walking through an HPE diagnosis.
All proceeds from event shirts purchased through Bonfire are also donated directly to Families for Hope. Race day shirts can be purchased here: https://www.bonfire.com/store/blakely-bumblebee/