Thank you for attending and supporting us at The Remarkable Celebration!

What an incredible night! The Remarkable Celebration is Tu Nidito’s largest fundraising event, raising critical funds for our programs and services that serve more than 700 grieving youth each year. Thanks to your generosity we raised $245,000 for those in need.

MEET OUR 2024 REMARKABLE MOMS

Mimi Coomler

Mimi is the mother of two, Brody (18) and Caroline (14). She is a devoted mom who is raising her children with the values of compassion, integrity and inclusivity. Her children accompany her to community events to ensure they are integrated into our community and understand how they can help others who are not afforded their privilege. Mimi is passionate about the welfare of mothers and children. She is a past Board Chair of the Women’s Foundation of Arizona which works to create equity for women and girls. Her son’s diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes has made her advocacy for children’s health very personal – she visits each family at TMC whose hospitalized child has been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. She wants these families to be heard and to acknowledge the grief associated with the diagnosis and share that there is hope.

Mimi wants a better future for her children and children everywhere and works tirelessly to ensure that they are central to her focus on the health and well-being of all Southern Arizona. In addition to being a Remarkable Mom, community volunteer and advocate, Mimi serves as the CEO of Tucson Medical Center.

Marsha Moon

Marsha is mother to two children, Sunday and now deceased beloved son Christopher. Marsha’s son was killed in the line of duty in 2010 in Afghanistan. He enlisted right out of high school foregoing a baseball scholarship to be of service to our country.

Marsha accepts the death of Chris by sharing his story. As a Gold Star mother, she holds herself responsible to provide support to other Gold Star families. She founded Wreaths across America in Tucson. Every December, through Marsha’s efforts, wreathes are placed on every service member’s grave at East Lawn Cemetery, where Chris is laid to rest.

In addition to championing Wreaths Across America and supporting Gold Star families, Marsha is a breast cancer survivor, caregiver to her father and support to her sister who is battling cancer. She makes time for all who need her, especially her daughter and three grandchildren.

Anne & Cindy Jordan

Cindy and Anne Sarabia Jordan are mothers to three children, Grady Jordan (15), McKenna Sarabia (27) and, Rylie Sarabia (deceased). Together they are compassionate and caring parents who always put their families first while devoting
their careers to providing healthcare solutions that have been transformative for
providers and patients alike. Cindy and Anne are the founders of Pyx Health, which is a national mental healthcare company based in Tucson focused on providing
support to those dealing with the mental and physical health of those coping with loneliness and isolation.

The impetus for Pyx Health was Anne and Cindy’s personal journey through the mental health challenges of their daughter, Rylie. For over a decade they navigated the ups and downs of her mental health roller coaster. Learning from her that it was her profound loneliness that caused her to spiral. With this knowledge they took a deep dive into understanding the science of loneliness. They realized that little was being done to address the mental and physical effects of loneliness. To address the gaps in service and care, Pyx Health was born. Their efforts are effecting change for tens of thousands across the country. Cindy serves as the CEO of Pyx Health and Anne serves as the Executive Director.

Melissa Ritchey

Melissa is mother of two, Izaiah (13) and Emma (6). Melissa approaches
everything she does with strength and discipline and selfless compassion and commitment. She never misses an opportunity to be present for her children and witness them grow and thrive. In the midst of the pandemic, Melissa’s mother (best friend and role model) lost her hard-fought battle with cancer. Although her grief was pervasive, Melissa was able to accept it and guide her family on their grief journey. Melissa is now the matriarch of her family and is committed to keeping everyone as connected as her mother did.

Melissa’s love for pediatrics shines through her nursing career whether at the bedside or in leadership roles. She is an exceptional mentor holding her teams with wisdom and readily shares her knowledge and expertise with those she works with. Because of her motherly ways she is deemed the “Mom” of the Children’s Clinic where she serves as the Chief Clinical Officer. Melissa has served Tu Nidito for 9 years as a Board member and after the death of her mother, a client attending our peer to peer support groups with her children.

Wendy Kurtin

Wendy is mother of two, Taylor (15) and Connor (11). Wendy and her husband Tim dealt with infertility and realized their greatest blessing with the adoption of their two children. Both of the children have faced challenges but are thriving because of Wendy’s positivity and determination to provide every opportunity for her children. Wendy personally has battled breast cancer and is now navigating her husband’s serious medical condition. Wendy approaches life with enthusiasm. She is a tireless leader instilling in her children that they can do anything they set out to accomplish.

In the midst of her personal hardships, Wendy puts others first and has always been focused personally and professionally on women and children. She maintains volunteer leadership roles with Kids of Steele, National Charity League and a host of other organizations focused on the needs of women and children. In addition to being remarkable mom and volunteer, Wendy serves as the Vice President of Provider Clinics for Northwest Healthcare.

Yvette Rodriguez

Yvette is mother of three, Ritchie (13) and twins Elijah and Josiah (9). Her twins beat all odds and survived a very difficult pregnancy that has left them with health challenges. Her mother was diagnosed with cancer and passed just two months before the twins were born 8 weeks early. Yvette became the surrogate mother to her four younger sisters. Her grief did not stop there as her brother died suddenly from an accidental overdose, followed by her grandmother’s death who was her 2nd mother and father’s death early 2023 6 weeks apart from each other.

Through all of this, Yvette has been a steady presence for her family, creating a sense of normalcy and joy for her sons and sisters. Yvette leads by example, willing to share her journey with others helping navigate their paths. She talks openly about the brother’s drug overdose to help others understand the danger of fentanyl. In the education community, she shares information about advocating for the rights of children with special needs since her twins both have Autism. In addition to all of this Yvette serves as the Program Coordinator for the Aviation Technology Program at Pima Community College.