The Makaylen Mile

The Makaylen Mile will take place on Saturday, September 6th, 2025, as part of the annual High Forest Old Settlers Day Celebration, located just three miles west of Stewartville, Minnesota. The walk/run will begin at 10:00 a.m. at High Forest Village Park, registration opens at 9:00 a.m. Cost of registration will include a High Forest Old Settlers Day button, which grants entry to the full day of festivities.
High Forest Old Settler’s Day events will include the Makaylen Mile, a kids fishing contest, numerous games and activities for children, a photo booth, live music throughout the day, a bean bag tournament, wagon rides, the grand parade, a bonfire, and more. Food vendors and a cash bar will be available starting at 11:00 a.m.
Along the 1.3-mile route of the Makaylen Mile, children will be invited to participate in a scavenger hunt for prizes. The walk will also serve to raise awareness of Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC). Signs along the route will educate the community on this category of death and honor several Minnesota children who have died from SUDC.

Awards will be given for the fastest mile, largest group or team, best dressed, youngest and oldest participants, best power-walk, and more!
The cost to participate in the walk is $20 per adult, $10 for children ages 6–17, and free for children ages 5 and under. Participants will register by making a direct donation to the SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative (SUDC-RRC) at NYU Langone Health. The donation page is located at: http://giving.nyulangone.org/goto/MakaylenMile2025. Additional donations in Makaylen’s memory are welcomed. All donations are tax-deductible, final, and non-refundable.
Makaylen Jaymes Plotz was born on Valentine's Day, 2022 and died just under 19 months later. A beautiful, healthy, and thriving toddler, Makaylen went to bed with hugs and kisses like every other night of her life with no warning of what was to come. The morning of Friday, September 8th, 2023 Makaylen did not wake up. After an extensive autopsy and investigation, her death was labeled “undetermined,” placing her in the category of Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood.

According to the SUDC Foundation, SUDC is a category of death in children between the ages of 1 and 18 years that remains unexplained after a thorough investigation. It is rare, with an estimated occurrence of about 1 in 100,000 children, and is most common in those ages 1 to 4. Nearly 500 children die from undetermined causes in the U.S. each year.
Makaylen’s family has donated her DNA to the SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative in hopes of contributing to research that may one day prevent such tragedies. They are committed to raising awareness of SUDC and honoring Makaylen’s life through meaningful community action.
The Makaylen Mile is more than a memorial walk—it is an opportunity for families to come together, remember these children, support research, and participate in a fun and uplifting community event. Your coverage and support of this event would mean the world to Makaylen’s family and many others affected by SUDC.
For more information or interview requests, please contact:
Mallory Plotz
1-507-273-0963
mallory.plotz@gmail.com