Baseball Field Named for Bridger and Essex Grebe

Friends and family gathered in August for a beautiful night of baseball to celebrate a USM family and raise money for an important cause.

It was a perfect night to remember Bridger and Essex Grebe with a friendly game of baseball, on a field newly named in their honor. Thanks to an anonymous donation, the baseball field at USM’s Wildcat Park was named Bridger & Essex Grebe Field. The name unveiling was held in conjunction with the 2024 Bridger & Essex Grebe Softball Challenge, an annual fundraiser organized by Michael ’85 and Kelly Grebe, and their sons, Tripp ’19 and Griffin ’24.  

The softball challenge, held in August 2024, honors Bridger and Essex Grebe, who both passed away before the age of 10 after being diagnosed with infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy (INAD), a rare, inherited neurological disorder that causes progressive loss of vision, muscular control, and mental skills. This was the first time the event took place at USM.

“We’re thrilled to be hosting this event,” said Steve Hancock, USM’s head of school. “This incredible field, some say one of the top amateur baseball fields in Wisconsin, first opened in 2022 and was really the vision of Kelly Grebe. Now through the naming of the field, people will know about Bridger and Essex, and this family, for generations.”

“Bridger and Essex were two of the toughest people I’ve ever known,” said Michael Grebe. “The sadness of their affliction has been surpassed by the remarkable good that’s been done. Families who need help have gotten help and there is real work now being advanced towards a cure. My hope is that in years to come, when players look up at the scoreboard, they think of just two things: First, you always have people supporting you—loudly, quietly, seen, and unseen. Second, never give up. Play hard, persevere through adversity, and find that next good thing that you can do.”

Since 2011, the Grebe family has raised more than $800,000 for INAD research and support to families through the softball challenge and its fund through the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.

In addition to graduating from USM, Michael, Tripp, and Griffin all played on the school’s varsity baseball team. In addition, both Michael and Kelly have been active supporters of USM for many years. Michael served on the school’s Board of Trustees from 2013 to 2022, and Kelly served as president of USM’s Booster Club from 2020 to 2022, while also serving in other various leadership roles for many years. 

Learn more about Bridger and Essex at www.bridgerandessexgrebefund.com.