As infant Mackinley Hardison continues to struggle with a debilitating disease, the community is reaching out again to help him and his family in their time of tremendous need.

The “Miracle for Mackinley” golf tournament will be held on Aug. 15 at Timberlake Golf Club in Clinton to benefit the family with mounting medical costs. It is a benefit that has been spearheaded by Danny Britt, with assistance from many others.

Affectionately known as “Lil’ Mack” after his late great-grandfather Mack Bass, Mackinley has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) type 1, which afflicts one in 6,000 infants across the globe. There is no known cure for SMA, a genetic disease characterized by degeneration around the spinal cord and affecting the part of the nervous system that controls voluntary muscle movement.

Since Lil’ Mack’s diagnosis in April, his parents April Horne and Brian Hardison have done everything they can to keep their child healthy — amid extreme circumstances.

Britt has been a colleague of April’s father Lyman Horne for the last 30 years. He is an engineering manager at Star Telephone Membership Corp., where Horne is general manager. He also knows the pain a grandfather feels over seeing his grandchild suffer, and his child forced to cope with a dreaded disease.

Five years ago, Britt’s granddaughter was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) when she was just 6 years old. In January 2005, a BBQ fund-raising event was held at the Agri-Exposition Center — and the outpouring was immense.

“I was just blown away at how the community came together,” said Britt. “It’s just amazing what people can do when they come together. Five years later, we are cancer-free.”

Now, Britt and others are hoping for another miracle. He, too, has felt helpless when receiving a diagnosis. When he saw his close friend going through the same thing, he tossed and turn at nights wondering how he could help just as he had been years ago.

“When doctors start throwing those acronyms around, it can get scary,” he said. “Two or three letters can mean a whole lot to someone’s life. Lyman was so happy about his grandson and then the little fella is diagnosed and your heart just goes out. I thought, ‘What can I do? What can I do.’”

The idea for a golf tournament was floated and many friends and neighbors of the Hornes immediately jumped on board to help in the effort.

The tournament is scheduled to begin with a 9 a.m. shotgun start and the format will be four-person superball. There is a $200 entry fee per team and prizes will be awarded in each flight, as well as for closest to the pin, longest drive and holes-in-one.

Those interested must register teams by Aug. 7. Businesses, individual or direct donations are also welcome, according to event organizers. Hole sponsorships are $100. It is requested that all checks are made payable to “Mackinley Hardison Fund.”

In addition to the help from friends, family and Timberlake, others have also donated toward the cause.

“They all kind of wanted to help out,” Britt said. “Right now, everything’s coming together wonderfully. That’s the kind of community we live in. They’re going to help little Mackinley out and ease the pain as much as we can, and hope doctors can take care of the rest.”

Mackinley was born Jan. 31, a child family and friends say was a happy, bouncing baby boy. Lil’ Mack is the grandson of Lyman and Beth Horne, Neal and Connie Hardison and Charlie and Catherine Brittain.

Although oozing personality right away, Lil’ Mack soon showed signs of struggle with the easiest tasks, such as lifting his head.

His parents took him to the doctor and were told that he may have a muscular disease. A preliminary diagnosis of SMA type 1 was given on April 13, a diagnosis later confirmed through DNA testing. The disease has proven most fatal in young children, with most not surviving past their second birthday without respiratory support.

“We had never heard of it,” April Horne has said. “After the initial shock wore off, we said ‘what now?’ We were told the life expectancy is only one to two years. The news your child might not live to one or two years is very hard to take.”

But they processed it, read everything they could about the disease and talked with other families who have been through the same ordeal. Being confronted with SMA has meant numerous trips to Duke Medical Center and UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, and purchase of equipment imperative to Mackinley’s health.

Since the diagnosis, family and friends have been doing everything they can to help the 6 month old. Such needs have caused bills to swell.

Along with the thoughts and prayers for the family, the community outpouring has also included the “March for Mackinley Walk-A-Thon” fund-raising event held in May at Harrells Christian Academy, with part of the proceeds also going toward finding a cure for SMA.

It is hoped the “Miracle for Mackinley” tournament will build on that success, while offering more support to the family.

“We have a lot of donations coming in, it’s looking pretty good,” said Britt.

He is confident in the community’s ability to give toward a worthy cause. After all, he and his granddaughter are a testament to the heart had by the people of Sampson.

“People will help,” Britt implored. “A child is something special to all of us and people will open their pockets. We were blessed with a miracle and we’re hoping and praying for a miracle for little Mackinley. Miracles do happen.”

To contribute or register, or for more information, contact Danny Britt at 910-592-3131 or 910-385-7054. Those interested can also call Jeff Smith at 910-385-6464; Clay Howard at 910-271-0452; Sandy Sanderson at 910-592-5751; or Carey Fortune at 910-385-7062.

To read more about Mackinley’s fight, visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/mackinley.

Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 121, or by email at sicrime@myclintonnc.com.