Meet The Families

Elliana Leone Family

At the 20-week ultrasound, Elliana's parents learned their
daughter showed signs of spina bifida. Their greatest fear
wasn't what life with spina bifida would look like; it was
whether they would even get the chance to meet their little
girl. Today, Elliana is advocating for herself and others with
disabilities. She asked the Fredonia School Board to make
her elementary playground accessible, so she can play with
her friends too. Her courage inspired the Go Shawn Go
Foundation to partner with Fredonia Central School District
to build an industry-leading accessible playground, where all
children can participate.

Dytajah Watkins Family

Dytajah is a young mother who, at just 3 months old, entered
the foster care system; she is raising her 5-year-old son,
Dakarie. He is a fun, energetic young boy who is nonverbal
and lives with autism. She’s doing the best she can to
provide a stable, safe home filled with love and patience for
her son, who lives in a world that’s not always
understanding. She is trying her best to give him a better life
than she had, only to be stifled by insecurities about food
and shelter. The Go Shawn Go Foundation hopes to reduce
food and shelter insecurities while helping Dytajah build
skills to enter the workforce and provide for her family.

Ann Marie Witzel Family
Ann Marie cares for her adopted son, Levi, who requires 24-
hour intensive assistance due to multiple disabilities as a
result of complications from a traumatic birth. Ann Marie
also cares for her 92-year-old father, who has recently
transitioned to home hospice care. She gives her all to
provide joy and adventure for Levi and comfort and support
to her father. The Go Shawn Go Foundation hopes to ease
the daily burden by helping with home maintenance and
adaptive equipment for Levi, so Ann Marie has more time
and energy to simply be a mother.

Shawn Gist established the Go Shawn Go Foundation in 2025. Shawn, a former athlete and sports enthusiast, was diagnosed with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 2019. After experiencing a rapid progression of his condition - transitioning from athletic competition to using a wheelchair in just five years - they created the foundation to support young families facing similar challenges with life-threatening medical conditions in Western New York.

The Go Shawn Go Foundation is committed to serving communities in the Western New York, Finger Lakes, and Southern Tier regions. All proceeds will support 3 incredible families and help the Go Shawn Go Foundation continue making life accessible one family at a time.