Every April, we come together as a community to shine a light on Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy. We share stories, raise our voices, and remind the world that our children are seen, valued, and full of extraordinary potential. This year's theme is Hold Onto Hope — and we couldn't have asked for a more perfect example of what that looks like than seven-year-old Remi Schreiber.
This month, Remi — a first grader from Spokane Valley, Washington and a member of our HIE community — appeared in a national AT&T commercial that aired on CBS during the 2026 Masters Tournament. If you watched it and felt something catch in your chest, you're not alone.
Meet Remi!
Remi was born full term and diagnosed with HIE due to oxygen deprivation at birth. Like many children in our community, her HIE journey has unfolded over time — she was later diagnosed with dystonic cerebral palsy and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) epilepsy at age four. HIE affects every child differently, and for Remi, it has shaped how her body moves and how she communicates.
"Meet Remi! She is 7 years old, she was diagnosed with HIE and was a full term baby. She also has dystonic cerebral palsy and LGS epilepsy at age 4. She's been attending weekly and intensive therapy since birth. She uses an eye gaze communication device since she was 8 months old along with a gait trainer. We've pushed hard to keep her in general education with her friends with one on one support. Her eye gaze communication device is her main form of academics. She thrives on social interaction, music, and her family."
-- Kayla, Remi's Mom
She is, by every account, the light of every room she enters.
"Remi Rocks" — From Our Community to the National Stage
The door opened through Remi's own care team. As Kayla shares:
"One of Remi's AAC and speech therapists reached out with information on the ad for the commercial auditions. We applied and within three weeks got first class tickets down to LA for a shoot."
Three weeks. First class. Los Angeles. AT&T selected Remi to star in "Remi Rocks" — part of their "Connecting Changes Everything" campaign — which aired on CBS during the 2026 Masters Tournament. In the spot, Remi learns to play "Gonna Fly Now" from Rocky on the piano, using her eye gaze technology. It reached millions of viewers during one of the most-watched sporting events of the year.
For Kayla, seeing her daughter on that screen was almost too much to take in.
"It was very emotional. They sent us a little sneak peek before it aired. And I still can't fully watch it without crying."
We understand completely, Kayla.
Watch "Remi Rocks" here: 📺 AT&T "Remi Rocks" — YouTube
📰 Read the local news coverage: Spokane Valley first grader with cerebral palsy featured in AT&T commercial — KREM2
Representation Matters — And Remi Is Proof
For too long, children with complex disabilities have been absent from the screens, stages, and spaces where culture is shaped. When kids don't see themselves reflected in the world around them — in commercials, in classrooms, in public life — the message, however unintentional, is that they don't fully belong there.
Remi changes that narrative.
When millions of people tuned into the Masters this April, many of them saw an eye gaze device for the first time. Many of them watched a child with cerebral palsy not be defined by her diagnosis, but celebrated for her passion. Many saw AAC technology not as a medical tool, but as an instrument — literally — of joy and connection. And many had never heard of HIE before that moment.
Representation matters because it tells our children: you belong here. It tells the world: make room. It tells other HIE families sitting in waiting rooms and therapy sessions and IEP meetings: your child's story deserves to be seen too.
A little girl from Spokane Valley just proved that on one of the biggest stages in the country. And we couldn't be more proud to call her one of ours.
One of Our Own Is Opening Doors
Remi's moment isn't just a feel-good story. It's a data point in a larger shift. Every time a child with a disability is cast in a leading role — not as an afterthought, not as inspiration porn, but as the whole, joyful, complex person they are — the ceiling rises for every child who comes after them.
Other HIE children watching that commercial saw themselves. Parents saw possibility. Teachers, therapists, and advocates saw validation for every hour of hard work they've poured into kids like Remi. And the broader public got a glimpse into a community that has always been here, always been extraordinary, and has always deserved this kind of visibility.
This is what inclusion looks like in action. This is why we fight for a seat at the table — and then make the table bigger.
A Message to Our Community
To every family walking this road, we'll leave you with Kayla's own words — because no one says it better:
"This journey is HARD but the joy we get to feel and witness with every milestone outweighs it. We all get front row seats to see the world change with endless opportunities for our miracle babies."
Hold onto hope. This HIE Awareness Month, Remi is showing us all exactly why we should.
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