What started as a family’s search for help has grown into a community effort to support children’s mental health.
On July 29, golfers will gather at Greystone Golf Club for the second annual Kimble Tile Golf Outing, raising funds to help children and families access the care and support they need.
For Rick and Kylie Kimble, the event is deeply personal.
It’s about their son, Ricky.
Ricky is an active 9-year-old who loves football, golf, and spending time with friends. But his journey, and his family’s, hasn’t been easy.
When Ricky started kindergarten, he was thriving academically and socially, but several months into the school year, things began to change.
“When we dropped Ricky off at kindergarten, he was a normal kid,” said Rick Kimble. “The symptoms he started displaying happened within a few months of school starting,”.
Behavior challenges emerged in the classroom. Questions led to appointments. Appointments led to more appointments. And what followed was a year-long search for answers.
Over time, Ricky was diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and neurological challenges that required specialized care.
The Kimbles spent months calling therapists and specialists. Many weren’t accepting new patients or couldn’t work with children Ricky’s age. At one point, they reached out to nearly two dozen providers while trying to help their son navigate emotions he didn’t yet know how to express.
“It was heartbreaking to watch him struggle and not know how to help,” Kylie says.
The challenges didn’t stop at school. They affected friendships, family life, and Ricky’s confidence. There were difficult days, setbacks, and moments when the future felt uncertain.
But there were also breakthroughs.
Once they identified the right medical team with specialized care and changed schools, Ricky began to thrive. Today, he’s building friendships, growing in confidence, and finding success in ways that once felt out of reach.
Through it all, the Kimbles gained a firsthand understanding of how difficult it can be for families to access support—even when they have insurance and resources.
“If it was this hard for us to find help, we couldn’t stop thinking about what it must be like for families who have fewer resources,” said Rick.
That realization inspired the Kimble Tile Golf Outing. Kimble Tile, Rick’s family-owned tile business based in Macomb County, became the vehicle for turning their personal experience into community action. It became a way to raise awareness about children’s behavioral and mental health and help other families find the support they need.
Last year’s inaugural outing brought together more than 90 golfers, local businesses, family members, and friends, raising nearly $10,000 to support children’s mental health initiatives through the Children’s Foundation of Michigan.
For the Kimbles, the most memorable moment was watching Ricky spend the day surrounded by people who believed in him.
“He knew the event was for him and about him,” Rick says. “Seeing everyone show up, support the cause, and give so generously was incredible.”
That support is what keeps the family motivated as they prepare for their second annual outing.
Funds raised through the Kimble Tile Golf Outing will continue to support the Children’s Foundation of Michigan’s Mental Health Field of Interest Fund, helping expand access to care, resources, and opportunities for children facing challenges similar to Ricky’s.
Just as importantly, the event helps start conversations. The Kimbles hope to remind other parents that they are not alone, and help create a community where seeking support for children’s mental health is met with understanding rather than stigma.
“We’re doing this because we care deeply about the cause,” Rick says. “We’re raising funds for kids like our own son.”
Behind every child who needs behavioral and mental health support is a family searching for answers, and thanks to families like the Kimbles, more children like Ricky can find the help, and hope, they deserve.
For those interested in supporting the Kimble Tile Golf Outing, click here.
