Tough People Fund - Help Asher Fight Leukemia

I want to tell you a story that’s impacted me deeply—one that reminds me why I wrote the song “Tough People.” It’s about a little boy named Asher Thorpe and his incredible family.

Brooke and her husband prayed for Asher for years. They walked through heartbreak, miscarriages, surgeries, and infertility, all with the hope of one day holding their miracle. And on December 1, 2022, that miracle came to life. Asher was their rainbow baby—an answered prayer and the missing puzzle piece they never knew they needed.

Asher quickly became the wild, fearless little brother to Colt and Harrison, though he didn’t see himself as the youngest—he tried to keep up with them in everything. Dirt bikes, farm animals, watering the garden, and front-yard tickle fights were all part of his world. He’s the kind of kid who lights up every room with his energy. Brooke often says he’s an old soul trapped in a toddler’s body—and I believe her.

But just after his second birthday, everything changed.

Asher had been getting sick often—colds, ear infections, strange rashes—and Brooke’s motherly instinct told her something deeper was going on. After a routine check-up, they were rushed to Valley Children’s Hospital. On March 14, 2025, they were hit with words no parent ever expects to hear: “Your baby has leukemia”—specifically, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Brooke says it was one of the darkest days of their lives.

What hits me hardest is that just days before that ER visit, Brooke heard my song “Tough People” on the radio. She told me the lyrics struck her heart like a warning. She didn’t know what was coming, but something in her gut told her life was about to shift. Now, that song has become their family anthem.

After the diagnosis, they spent a month in the hospital. Asher endured surgeries, chemotherapy, and blood transfusions. He faced pain and isolation most adults couldn’t handle, yet he did it with a spirit that continues to amaze me. Though his hair is thinning and his little body is worn, he still smiles, still brings joy, and still fights like the toughest person I’ve ever heard about.

He's now home, still on chemo, still in pain, and learning to walk again—but he hasn't lost his spark. Brooke has stepped away from her photography business to care for him full-time. And their hometown of Hughson, California, has shown up in the most powerful way—printing shirts with the words “Tough times make tough people,” and surrounding the Thorpe family with love and strength.

Through our connection, Brooke shared Asher’s journey with me. And now I’m sharing it with you—not just because it’s heartbreaking, but because it’s full of hope. This family’s fight reminds us all that cancer doesn’t get to define a life. Courage does.

To anyone facing their own battle: you’re not alone. Asher is proof that even in the darkest moments, there is light. And as long as we keep believing, keep fighting, and keep leaning on each other, we’ll find a way through.