American Family Insurance Championship helps breathe new life into 5-year-old Titus Nee

In a way, making it to the first tee box of a PGA TOUR Champions event with club in hand serves as validation for all the time, hard work and dedication one has invested towards the goal of success.

In short, one has arrived.

Nowhere was that assertion more brightly illuminated than last Friday morning to kick off the start of the American Family Insurance Championship in Madison, Wisconsin.

While Titus Nee’s on-course accomplishments may still be taking shape, the work and dedication which has gone into his nascent journey more than qualified the five-year-old to strike the ceremonial first tee shot.

The gallery’s roar of enthusiasm over his swing wasn’t influenced as much by how far the ball went as it was by understanding how far he and his family have come.

When determining the annual Madison event’s level of success, two heavily weighted factors, understandably, are with regard to the amount of drama and excitement produced inside the ropes.

While those qualities are certainly big hits for a tournament’s sizzle reel, the most defining mark of triumph has less to do with the animated impressions left behind and more with the help it provides all year – and in many cases, all life – long.

Dating to its 2016 inception, the American Family Insurance Championship in Madison, Wisconsin, has been a compelling source of action.

But, on a grander stage, with its title sponsorship role, American Family Insurance has been – quite literally – the difference between life and death for many who’ve never even seen a shot of golf.

It is only then, and through that, when a tournament truly sees the impact its making.

Tipping the scale at a respectable 8.5 pounds, Titus came into the world in 2018, the week before Christmas, as a perfectly healthy baby boy…or, so it seemed.

“He was diagnosed with a failure to thrive and, five weeks after he was born, it was recommended to take him to American Family Children’s Hospital,” said Titus’ mother, Nicole Nee. “He had been unable to gain any weight those first few weeks after birth, which resulted in a marathon of trying to figure out what was going on.”

Pierre Robin Syndrome, a rare congenital birth defect characterized in part by an underdeveloped jaw and cleft pallet, was severely impacting Titus’ ability to breathe and eat. With only a tiny passageway to receive oxygen, Titus was getting a fraction of the air necessary to function.

At just two months old, Titus underwent a complex surgery at American Family Children’s Hospital. To combat the syndrome, doctors were forced to break his lower jaw and place distractors on each side. Each day, the jaw was brought out millimeters with the goal being to further open the airway.

“Being told it was going to be a 3–4-hour surgery, and that after that surgery your child was going to be in a medically-induced coma for a week just to help deal with the pain just drops your heart down into your stomach,” said Titus’ father, Eric. “Looking back on it now, just the amount of time and energy that every doctor put into explaining exactly what was going to happen made that process – not easy – but smoother.”

Since 2016, the American Family Insurance Championship and Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation have raised more than $17 million for charity. Nearly $9M of that has gone to the American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison to help with everything from equipment and wraparound services to family meals, therapeutic play with child specialists and even visits from the hospital’s facility dogs to provide comfort to patients, siblings and families.

“I think a lot of the grit he has he got because the hospital poured everything into him, to Eric and I as parents and to Tenley and Tucker as siblings,” said Nicole. “A big part of the hospital I have always adored is what they do for siblings. The doctors, nurses, patients and parents are the heroes, but the unsung heroes are all the siblings.”

“There were always crafts and activities for them to do to pass the time and have fun,” said Eric about his seventh-grade daughter, Tenley, and fourth-grade son, Tucker.

“They even got us presets as a way to help keep us happy,” added Tenley. “When they checked on Titus, they checked on us, too.”

“We’re incredibly honored to have our name and brand associated with an award-winning professional golf tournament,” said Tracy Schweitzer, Chief Administrative Officer, American Family Insurance. “American Family has a deep and long-standing commitment as a company to support the communities where we live, work and raise our families.”

Since its beginning, the American Family Insurance Championship has raised $17.2 million for the American Family Children’s Hospital and 847 other charitable organizations.

“This PGA TOUR Champions event provides opportunities to doctors to where they can have those life touches and resources to impact the families the way they do,” said Eric.

Included in his 51-day hospital stint, Titus and the family experienced 56 doctor appointments, 40 therapist sessions and five surgeries.

“Titus does have another surgery coming up in August, but because of who and what American Family Children’s Hospital is, he isn’t scared of the hospital,” said Nicole. “I think that speaks volumes to everyone there, what the hospital is and how they do things there.”

Titus’ August surgery will further widen his passageway to make possible more air coming in when he is sleeping. Ideally, he will begin kindergarten a week later and play in his first season of American League baseball.

“Without events like the American Family Insurance Championship, doctors, nurses and anyone else who work in the hospital would not be able to do what they do,” said Eric. “It gives you a chance to fight another day.”

“American Family Children’s hospital cares for kids from every corner of the nation, providing a place for healing and a state-of-the-art, family-friendly environment made possible from a very generous gift from American Family Insurance,” said Vice President of Pediatric Services and President at American Family Children’s Hospital at UW Health Nikki Stafford.

“As a mom, feeling like you weren’t alone is something I would’ve never believed without the hospital," said Nicole.

“He’s doing a lot better from when he had so many surgeries,” said 10-year-old Tucker. “He has grown so much, and I love to play football, baseball and basketball with him. I hope Titus can play whatever and whenever he wants.”

Perhaps he’ll even take another swing at the game of golf. After all, it’s been pretty good for him so far.