Eight-year-old Aiden Steiner’s dimpled smile melts hearts everywhere. He’s full of light—always laughing, playing with his friends, and being silly with his classmates. But behind that joy, Aiden is facing a battle no child should ever have to fight.

Aiden was diagnosed with the juvenile form of Infantile Neuroaxonal Dystrophy (INAD), an ultra-rare, terminal disease often described as a pediatric ALS and Parkinson’s, combined! It robs children of their language, muscle strength, cognition, and then life, with most children not living to celebrate their 10th birthday.

Since Aiden’s diagnosis, the North Ranch community has rallied in extraordinary ways to support him and his family. His classmates and neighbors—including the Must and Avallon families—have witnessed Aiden’s abilities decline, yet these children, some as young as 4 and 5, have learned profound lessons in compassion, friendship, and inclusion, bringing him joy and comfort every day. Together, the community is racing against time to give Aiden a fighting chance and help fund the life-saving treatment he so desperately needs.

His parents first noticed changes when Aiden was 5 or 6, when he first moved to Westlake Village and was attending Westlake Hills Elementary. At first, it was subtle; some (even his Doctors) would even confuse it for Autism because of his language delay and coordination. But after multiple serious accidents that included head injuries, staples, and stitches, his parents couldn’t sit around any longer. After months of searching for answers, the devastating diagnosis came in a form of a phone call from Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, where the neurologist informed the parents even she had no idea what this was and couldn’t help, but that his genetic testing done by a simple saliva sample came back positive for an ultra rare, terminal disease that on paper gives him only a few years left. Aiden is the only child in all of Southern California with INAD/aNAD, and one of 4 families in all of California.

“Your world shatters in a single moment,” his parents, Marc & Dana Steiner, shared. “I wish we could say we immediately jumped into action, but I think we blacked out for a few months and couldn’t believe the news. Even the Doctor couldn’t believe the news. But we knew we had to fight for him.”

That fight has grown into the AJS Foundation, a nonprofit created out of Westlake Village, to give Aiden and children like him a chance at life. Thanks to groundbreaking research that the Steiner family is incredibly grateful to have walked into already in progress, there is hope: a gene therapy treatment that could stop or slow INAD’s progression. Preclinical studies have already shown promising results, especially in male mice & rats. If the first human clinical trial is launched, Aiden & nine other children could receive this treatment as early as Spring 2026.

The catch? It will cost $2 million more to fund the trial. And time is running out.

Since Aiden’s diagnosis, our community has risen in extraordinary ways. Together, the AJS Foundation has raised more than $350,000 through fundraisers, local support, and even a gala in West Hollywood earlier this year, sponsored by Warner Bros. Discovery, Candle Media and more, featuring talent supporters, entertainment executives, musical guests and the very Doctors and scientists working on this potentially life-saving treatment, who flew to Los Angeles to speak to the community about Aiden’s prognosis and how historic this clinical trial could be. His classmates surround him with love, ensuring he still feels the joy of being a kid, and Aiden enjoyed cheering on his teammates through Thousand Oaks Little League. Local businesses, neighbors, and friends continue to rally around the Steiners and step up in unprecedented ways.

But we’re not done yet. This is our chance to save Aiden’s life.

On Sunday, November 16th, the community will come together again for Aiden’s A-Team: Sunday Funday Family Brewery Fundraiser at Tarantula Hill Brewing Co. Come watch football, enjoy live music, games, and a premium silent auction, all while helping raise life-saving funds.

Aiden has taught us that rare does not mean invisible,” his parents share. “He has a gift for seeing people as they truly are and bringing out the best in them - it’s unexplainable, almost as if he knows his greater purpose here on Earth. We’re not giving up. With the support of our community, we believe Aiden can make it - living a long, meaningful life, spreading joy to everyone he meets. We are waiting for our miracle, and we know it’s out there. Whether it comes from one person or from all of us together, this miracle will happen.”

Please join us. Donate. Show up. Spread the word. Together, we can rewrite Aiden’s story.

To learn more or to make a tax-deductible donation directly, please visit www.AidensATeam.com or text INAD to 44-321.