About

After 4 years of fighting and living with ALS, Jim Hilliard MD, left his broken body and joined his Savior in heaven. Our family decided we wanted to continue raising awareness and funds for ALS research by starting our own 501C3 Charity Organization.

Team Hilliard Foundation 

(501C3 #88-0586983) 

Team Hilliard

Just a few months before his anticipated retirement and dream of perfecting his golf game, my precious husband, Jim Hilliard, was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). Words no one ever wants to hear and words that have now changed our lives forever. The news is devastating, but we have a strong will to fight and an even stronger faith in God.

The fight lasted nearly 4 years and on September 12, 2021, our Jim Hilliard conquered ALS and left his broken body behind for glory and eternity with his Heavenly Father. There are no words when a heart is grieving and broken. ALS is cruel, but Jim Hilliard faced it with courage, grace, and a faith that was amazing. He never complained and he had a quick wit that kept everyone laughing. He loved Jesus and was unashamed at how he had come to the truth of the Gospel. His family was EVERYTHING to him. There is a hole in our hearts that cannot be filled. He will be greatly missed.

 

Team Hillard Foundation was born out of 4 years of telling our story and raising awareness about ALS. Currently there is still no cure but the research field is now ripe with potential new drugs and treatments, but it is often difficult and costly for people facing ALS to be enrolled in clinical trials. We partnered with ALS TDI, a biotech research company solely focused on ALS. We also did work with our local chapter of the ALS Association. As a family who knows firsthand how devastating it is to live with ALS and how difficult it is to manage care, we decided we wanted to continue our work, but open the field for where our fundraising dollars can go. Each year we will choose a treatment or research entity devoted to finding a cure, an organization that is helping families facing ALS, or a local family in need. No one on our board will require compensation, so 100% on your donation will be given to charity. Team Hilliard’s mission is raising awareness about ALS and supporting research, treatments, and families facing Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Our Mission

Jim Hilliard's Testimony-Easter Service
with Randy Frazee April 2020

Our Board

Tamara H. Hilliard

Founder*CEO

Tamara was married to Jim Hilliard for nearly 34 years and began to be involved with ALS awareness and fundraising just months after her husband was diagnosed. Initially, partnering with ALS TDI in Boston, to help them with their efforts to find a cure, Team Hilliard raised over 300,000 dollars. Now after Jim’s passing, the family has decided to begin their own non-profit organization to continue these efforts and to support families facing ALS. She was also an integral member of the LG4 Day committee, comprised of ALS patients, caregivers and families who petitioned MLB to implement an official, annual,  Lou Gehrig Day to honor the Iron Horse and to increase ALS awareness. Tamara is a former Miss Texas, runner-up to Miss America, a commercial actor, spokesperson, and entrepreneur. Tamara grew her gourmet granola business beginning in 2009, from a start-up in the kitchen to a complete line of all-natural granolas found on most grocery shelves and online. Tamara closed the business, Tay’s Gourmet, LLC, after Jim’s diagnosis in 2018, in order to give him her complete care and attention. She remains committed to continuing to help raise awareness and raise funds for ALS efforts. 

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Sam Hilliard

Co founder

Baseball and family have been at the core of Sam Hilliard’s life.  When his Dad was diagnosed with ALS, Sam was just beginning his second year in the minor leagues at AA. The diagnosis was devastating and dealing with such a personal family matter on such a public stage took some getting used to, but Sam found his voice and he is committed to doing what he can to help bring awareness to this disease in hopes that a cure can be found. Through Team Hilliard Foundation, Sam, along with his wife Kat, hopes to use his influence as a professional baseball player for the Colorado Rockies, to continue raising awareness and raising funds for ALS research and charities.

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Maxwell Hilliard

co Founder

Maxwell Hilliard is Jim and Tamara’s oldest son, a Journalism major from the University of Texas at Arlington and now Director of Business Development at the Houser Firm in Dallas, Texas, where he manages all social media, newsletters, events and developing relationships with other business for referrals. Max saw firsthand how ALS affected his father and how difficult it was to care for him during this time.  Max is dedicated to helping the family continue to raise awareness and funds to help those facing ALS. 

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Katalin Hilliard

Co founder

Kat Hilliard met Sam in 2015 and was an integral part of the Hilliard family by the time Jim was diagnosed with ALS in 2018.  Sam and Kat were married in December of 2020.  She graduated from Georgia Southern with a double major in both Finance and Marketing while also playing collegiate volleyball.  She then pursued her finance career at Lockheed Martin where she has been working since 2016. In the Spring of 2020 she graduated from Southern Methodist with her Masters in Manufacturing Systems Management.  Kat saw first hand the impact ALS had on Jim and the  family.  Kat is committed to raising awareness for ALS and and building the Team Hilliard Foundation. 

 
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