Will’s Story.

Will Rodgers was born in Maui, Hawaii in 1994. It was evident by Will’s first birthday that he was intrigued by any kind of motor and often longed to take rides on the neighbor’s tractor, which he had named Bob. Will was so drawn to being fast he would even want to race shopping carts in the grocery store.

Contracts Rare Disease at age 3

Unfortunately, at the age of three, Will became ill with a virus that was believed to be attacking his liver. Shortly after becoming ill, Will was diagnosed with a slowly progressive liver disease called Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC). PSC is a rare disease with no known cure and Will was blessed to have been able to be diagnosed so quickly.

Healthy at age 5

For the next few years, Will received treatment from Johns Hopkins University and Dr. Kathleen Schwarz. And by the age of 5, he no longer needed treatment.

Took up racing at 8 years old

Will began racing go-karts at eight years old on the island of Maui and proceeded to win the Hawaii State Championship for his division in 2005. He continued racing in California with go-karts, motocross, off-road UTVs and sports cars.

Led to NASCAR

In 2016, Will entered NASCAR and the world of stock car racing. He and his father wrenched together on the available cars with the money the family had and even built a car themselves. In Will’s NASCAR K&N debut season, Will posted four wins, eleven top fives, and 14 top tens. In 2019, Will made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut.

Found his mission

Will is dedicated to spreading the word about all types of liver disease and pairing it with his passion for racing by providing at-track and off-track events. His focus is to increase the awareness of liver disease, break down the negative stigma, educate and test eligible patients with the goal being to ensure every patient gets access to life-saving treatment.