There’s something about what parents do for their children that feels priceless—something you can’t repay. They’ll put aside their own dreams without a second thought if it means being there for their kids. That’s exactly what former LPGA Tour player Jane Park did when she put her golf career on hold to care for her daughter, Grace.

Grace suffers from epilepsy, and Park made the tough decision to step away from her golfing career to be there for her. It’s not like she didn’t have a great career, either. She had already made a name for herself with 16 top-ten finishes on the LPGA Tour. But when it came to Grace, the decision was simple—she chose motherhood over the game.

Now, Park’s fighting a different battle—standing beside Grace every step of the way. Once known for connecting with fans through her performance on the course, Park now shares her life primarily through Instagram. Her posts often focus on Grace’s health and their journey with epilepsy. Recently, though, she shared something a little different. She wasn’t just talking about Grace’s health—she was opening up about her own struggles.

“I have idled by on the sidelines as other parents advocate for epilepsy awareness month (it was Nov),” she admitted. “I apologize for being late to the game.” November is Epilepsy Awareness Month—a time when many work tirelessly to raise awareness. But Park admitted she couldn’t fully engage this year as she just didn’t have the energy this time. “My mental capacity lately has been very small with insurance renewal stuff, and everyday seizure BS,” she shared candidly. “I haven’t had the energy to make my own posts about how much epilepsy blows.”

And even though she was feeling drained, she thanked the other parents and advocates who kept going. “Thanks for your advocacy everyone!” she said. “I am in a funk and will get back to advocacy, hopefully sooner rather than later. Epilepsy sucks.” Jane’s life hasn’t been very easy, yet she made it this far without talking much about the mental toll she’s been enduring—until now.

As for her daughter, per the last update, Grace has been doing well since her discharge from the hospital in November. Sharing a heartfelt post at the time, Park wrote, “We’re home! Will wean off oxygen slowly over the next few days. Thank you for getting us through another hospital stay. You guys really don’t know how much it means for you to show up time and again.”

It was indeed a tough road, but sometimes even a small pat on the shoulder could have meant the validation Park needed most. The LPGA made sure to honor the resilience of one of its own.

LPGA Tour honored Jane Park for her resilience

Sometimes, all it takes are three simple words: “I am there.” Even when you can’t physically be with someone during their toughest moments, a small gesture of support can make a world of difference. That’s exactly what the LPGA Tour did when they chose to honor Jane Park’s incredible strength and the challenges she’s faced.

At the 2023 CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida, Park was presented with the Heather Farr Perseverance Award. With her husband, Pete Godfrey, and her daughter, Grace, by her side, she accepted the honor. What she’s been through is far from ordinary, and it completely changed how she sees life. As Park put it, “I think this type of trauma just changes your DNA.”

Through all the ups and downs, Park’s friends on the LPGA Tour never left her side. And she’s more than grateful for their support. “Somehow, while we were dead in our despair, we started to breathe again. You guys gave me the tools to not end my life when I felt like life had ended,” she said, thanking them.