In 2024, Jeffrey Allen applied to the first season of “Beast Games,” a reality competition show on Amazon Prime Video that was inspired by the Netflix series “Squid Game” and created by YouTuber MrBeast. Why did this California Dad want to be on a game show?  “Beast Games” offered the largest cash prize in history – and Allen wanted to make a difference in the search for a cure for his son Lucas’ rare disease.

Lucas was diagnosed as a toddler with Creatine Transporter Deficiency, or CTD, a rare genetic mutation that blocks the transport of the natural source of energy from the brain and muscle.  Symptoms can include difficulty growing and gaining weight, slowed development of motor skills, intellectual disabilities, autistic behaviors and seizures, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders. There are, estimated, just a few hundred CTD patients worldwide.

Known as Player 831, Jeffrey Allen won the first season of “Beast Games” and the massive $10 million prize. “It’s all a miracle,” he says about the serendipitous achievement and the gift of parenting Lucas. 

To follow “Ruck for Rare,” visit: https://creatineinfo.org/ruck4rare/

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