Charles Millard, a co-founder of Four Diamonds, took the stage Friday night at THON 2020, just 45 minutes ahead of dancers officially standing up. Charles founded the Four Diamonds foundation with his wife Irma in 1972, after their son Chris lost his fight with pediatric cancer.

Millard addressed the crowd directly from the stage: “Thank you very much for what you are doing. You people have breathed life into the Four Diamonds,” he said. “When you joined in 1977, that’s when the Four Diamonds came to life.”

Millard also noted how this is now his 43 THON, as the co-founder has made it a tradition to try and attend the dance marathon every year.

Millard previously spoke to the crowd at THON in 2014. His daughter Suzanne Graney, who is currently the director of Four Diamonds, also spoke to the crowd at the BJC ahead of THON 2019.