Dan Redfield and his wife Kristen Frederic were excited, first-time parents when they had their daughter, Ava. As a young couple with a love for the outdoors, they started taking their daughter on adventures. When Ava was diagnosed with Tay-Sachs, a rare, genetic, fatal disease, taking Ava outside became more challenging.
As a professional filmmaker, Dan recognized the importance of his home videos and photos with his family. This inspired him to start a nonprofit called Adventure for Ava, where he takes Alaska families with disabled children on adventures and captures the photographs and videos of the day.
To learn more about Adventure for Ava, visit the website here: https://www.avasstory.org/
Video and story by Valerie Kern
Additional photos and videos provided by Dan Redfield
Music by Universal Production Music and Starship Amazing
Originally from the Central Coast of California, Valerie joined Alaska Public Media in July 2017. She creates original video content for the station's TV and digital platforms while also overseeing the Production Department. Before moving to Alaska, Valerie worked as an ENG Editor at WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also served in the U.S. Air Force as a TV and Radio Broadcast Journalist where she traveled around Europe, Africa, The Baltics, Australia, and the Southern United States reporting on military events, exercises, and missions. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, backcountry skiing, backpacking, yoga, and traveling.
