Bonus: The Path with Becky Quick: Dan and Nick Gilbert’s Rare Legacy 5/20/

Summary

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Squawk Pod: The Path with Becky Quick – Dan and Nick Gilbert’s Rare Legacy

Release Date: May 21, 2026
Host: Becky Quick (CNBC)
Guest: Dan Gilbert (Founder, Quicken Loans/Rocket Companies; Owner, Cleveland Cavaliers)

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Overview:

This episode of "The Path," a CNBC Cures podcast series hosted by Becky Quick, delves into the family life, business journey, personal resilience, and rare disease advocacy of Dan Gilbert. The episode focuses on Dan’s experiences as a rare disease parent—his late son Nick lived with and ultimately died from neurofibromatosis (NF)—and explores how their family legacy now fuels fundraising and research to find a cure. Blending personal stories with insights on business, community rebuilding in Detroit, and rare disease challenges, this conversation is a study in perseverance, optimism, and the power (and limits) of wealth in the face of tragedy.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dan Gilbert’s Background and Entrepreneurial Journey

• Early Hustle & Quicken Loans Origin (05:14–06:26)
  • Gilbert recalls selling pizzas and launching a mortgage brokerage with $5,000.
  • “I'd hustle on the playground, sell yo yos one year... In sixth grade they told me I can't do it anymore. The school told you that?... Yo yo is an up and down business.” (Dan, 06:04)
  • Emphasizes his love for the startup phase in business: “I always enjoy the 0 to 30 launch the most.” (Dan, 06:26)
• Building Detroit and Community Investment (25:01–26:31)
  • After Detroit’s bankruptcy, Gilbert played a central role in revitalizing downtown, emphasizing a holistic, “big bang” approach—coordinating retail, housing, and institutions together.
  • “Great people want to be part of a mission above and beyond their paycheck.” (Dan, 26:03)

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2. Nick Gilbert and Neurofibromatosis: A Family’s Rare Disease Battle

• Diagnosis and Childhood (07:02–09:21)
  • Dan recalls Nick’s diagnosis at 15 months and the confusion parents face with rare diseases: “Like most parents who get that diagnosis, we go neuro. What? No one's ever heard of it.” (Dan, 07:25)
  • NF causes tumors on nerves, manifesting in vision loss and requiring ongoing, invasive treatment.
• Nick’s Personality and Coping Mechanisms (09:47–11:25)
  • Nick coped through humor and optimism—“He dealt with a lot of his condition, disease, with humor... He was an optimist, and he was a hard worker.” (Dan, 09:47)
  • Despite chemo, surgeries, and progressive losses, Nick’s response: “Dad, I’m Helen Keller 2.0.” (Dan, 10:54)
• Impact on the Family & Personal Lives (20:13–21:04)
  • Four kids born close together; siblings now run the Gilly Project for rare disease advocacy.
  • Dan discusses the dissolution of his marriage after Nick’s passing: “Our marriage did not survive this... Now I understand it.” (Dan, 21:04)

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3. Nick’s Legacy: Advocacy, Fundraising & Community

• Nick as Public Face: The NBA Draft Lottery (13:25–16:43)
  • Nick became the Cavaliers’ good luck charm, representing the team at the NBA Draft Lottery.
    • “Nick, you're the ambassador for the National Children's Tumor foundation ... Your dad called you his own personal hero. How’s that make you feel?”
      “Well, I mean, what's not to like?” (Becky & Nick, 14:21–14:24)
  • His catchphrase "What's not to like" became a rallying point.
• Gilly Project & Honoring Nick (16:49–17:19 & 22:05–22:46)
  • A sports bar—Gillies—was opened in his honor.
  • The family hosts an annual benefit for NF, with NF children like Harper Grace honored for their courage.

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4. The Limits of Wealth and the Complexities of Medical Innovation

• On Money and Curing Rare Disease (01:11 & 29:25–29:54)
  • “Is it ever frustrating to think, you know, you’ve got billions of dollars and yet you can’t fix everything?” (Becky, 01:11)
  • “You can’t. No. That’s a sobering thing.” (Dan, 01:18; repeated at 29:34)
• Nick’s Legacy in Philanthropy & Science (17:19–19:15)
  • The Gilbert Family Foundation donates ~$50 million/year to research, but rare diseases’ small market size drives underinvestment.
  • “Every drug...takes 17 years and probably $2 billion to get... So if you have a rare disease like this, it's hard to get the capital and the interest behind finding cures... That's a problem with a lot of rare diseases.” (Dan, 17:19)
  • Expresses hope for technological leaps through “organoids” (lab-grown organs/tumors for personalized drug testing):
    “It’s really a miracle... At this level, one drug does not fit all.” (Dan, 31:08–31:50)
• Advocacy for Regulatory Change (19:15–20:00)
  • Calls for the FDA to streamline and accelerate drug approval: “A lot of bureaucracy... we could take out and take time out.” (Dan, 19:40)

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5. Personal Struggles, Resilience, and Outlook

• Dan’s Own Health Journey (04:33–27:25)
  • After a debilitating stroke in 2019, Dan focused on recovery, his family, and philanthropic missions.
  • “I’m walking with a cane and I’m confident I’ll walk again soon. But it’s just been taking a long time.” (Dan, 27:25)
• Integrating Business, Advocacy, and Grief (28:10–29:25)
  • Balances grief, business responsibilities, and advocacy: “You just have to get the next card and try to play it... You got work on the things you try to control.” (Dan, 28:10)
  • Approaches advocacy like business: “Hire the best possible people... Give them the best culture, give them the capital that they need... relationships and political power ... That’s been fortunate. I often wonder how the average Joe gets through all this.” (Dan, 28:47–29:25)
• On Sharing Grief and Building Community (21:15–22:46)
  • Both Becky and Dan discuss the discomfort and importance of being public about family struggles:
    “It’s a lonely path. And when you find out that there are other people walking it, I think that helps a lot too.” (Becky, 21:48) “It definitely helps.” (Dan, 21:55)

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6. Memorable Stories—Nick’s Humor and Impact

• Nick’s Spirit in Anecdotes (32:06–33:14)
  • “He sat next to Kid Rock at a basketball game...your son needed chips and cheese, so I had to go get him...” (Dan, 32:16)
  • “He had the softest hands of any human in the world.” (Dan, 33:04)
• Retiring Nick’s Jersey at the Cavs Arena (30:30–30:40)
  • “We retired his jersey with a bow tie on it...make some noise for our very own Nick Gilbert. We’ll never forget you, buddy.” (Dan, 30:36–30:42)

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On facing the limitations of wealth:
  • “You can’t [fix everything]. No. That’s a sobering thing.” (Dan Gilbert, 01:18 / 29:34)
• On Nick’s optimism:
  • “‘Dad, I’m Helen Keller 2.0.’ But that was the worst part...” (Dan Gilbert, 10:54)
• On rare disease innovation:
  • “Every drug...takes 17 years and probably $2 billion to get... So if you have a rare disease, it’s hard to get capital and the interest behind finding cures.” (Dan Gilbert, 17:19)
• On what Nick taught him:
  • “He can be in pain and going through all this stuff and not have what everybody else has. But he somehow made progress. So in his name, that’s what we have to do.” (Dan Gilbert, 29:58)
• On community and shared paths:
  • “It’s a lonely path. And when you find out that there are other people walking it, I think that helps a lot too.” (Becky Quick, 21:48)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Dan’s Early Business Roots: 05:14–06:26
• NF Diagnosis, Nick’s Story: 07:02–11:25
• Nick at the NBA Draft Lottery and Becoming a Symbol: 13:25–16:43
• Impact on Family Life & Marriage: 20:13–21:04
• Fundraising and Scientific Hope (Organoids): 17:19–19:15, 31:08–31:50
• Dan on Personal Health Crisis and Recovery: 27:25–28:10
• Nick’s Humor and Legacy Stories: 32:06–33:14
• Reflections on Grief, Resilience, and Taking Next Steps: 28:10–29:54, 33:36

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Episode’s Closing Reflections

Host Becky Quick concludes:
“No one gets out of this life unscathed. The humility and the acceptance in that and the commitment that it took to continue to look for treatments as a possible cure for other children. That is something that has really stuck with me... a reminder that we are all walking this path together.” (33:36)

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Final Takeaway

A moving episode that highlights how entrepreneur Dan Gilbert’s drive to build businesses and rebuild Detroit is mirrored in his relentless, heartfelt advocacy for rare disease research after the loss of his son. The discussion weaves together business insights, personal tragedy, and hope—offering powerful resonance for anyone confronting adversity, navigating the limits of money and medicine, and searching for meaning through legacy and community.

Transcript

[Becky Quick]

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[Dan Gilbert]

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[Becky Quick]

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[Dan Gilbert]

make storage and data management the simplest

[Becky Quick]

part of your business.

[Dan Gilbert]

Visit everpeardata.com to learn more. Like most parents who get that diagnosis, we go neuro. What? But when he lost his hearing and his eyesight, he would tell me, dad, I'm Helen Keller 2.0.

[Becky Quick]

Is it ever frustrating to think, you know, you've got billions of dollars and yet you can't fix everything?

[Dan Gilbert]

You can't. Now that's a sobering thing. Foreign

[Becky Quick]

I'm Becky Quick. This is another step on the path, a podcast series from cnbc Cures about the people, the struggles and the science of rare disease.

[Dan Gilbert]

We'll never forget you, buddy.

[Becky Quick]

Sometimes the struggle is so severe that all the money in the world can't fix it. Your dad called you his own personal hero. How's that make you feel?

[Dan Gilbert]

Well, I mean, what's that to like?

[Becky Quick]

But when it comes to the heroic patients and families who spend years contending with devastating diagnoses and still continuing to hope, well, what's not to like? Indeed. Good morning and welcome to Squawk Box right here on I first met my guest today, Dan Gilbert, years ago, proud probably 20 years ago. He's been a longtime friend of CNBC Squawkbox, often sitting in as a guest host to discuss business and housing. Also with us all day today in studio, fresh from the NBA draft, our guest host today, Dan Gilbert. He's the Quick and Loan chairman and he's also the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Great to have you here today, Dan.

[Dan Gilbert]

Great to be here.

[Becky Quick]

Is it a tougher business out there? Do you have to work harder to get those mortgages?

[Dan Gilbert]

You know, you definitely have to work hard and you have to market harder. We're a little bit unique in that we're a 50 state retail lender with kind of the Internet. And being our VP of how we get business in, Quicken Loans is going to move its offices from Livonia here to Downtown Detroit. Detroit 2.0. And that's kind of how we're viewing it. Welcome to the city of Detroit.

[Becky Quick]

While he was building a multi billion dollar company from his hometown of Detroit, he was also a rare disease parent. His late son nick died in 2023 at the age of 26 after a lifelong battle with neurofibromatosis. It's also called NF. There's an Alphabet soup of potential rare conditions, diseases, disorders, illnesses, all of it lurking right in our genes, hidden in the basic code that makes us who we are. Rare diseases impact tiny populations of the patients who are even lucky enough to get a diagnosis. That's a pretty small total addressable market. But there are more than 10,000 rare diseases, and collectively, they impact 30 million Americans. That is 10% of the population, which means that probably someone near you right now is walking this path. Live from the beating heart of business,

[Dan Gilbert]

New York, this is Squat Box.

[Becky Quick]

Dan Gilbert again is the founder and chairman of Quicken Loans, which is the number one mortgage lender in the country. And, Dan, that's kind of amazing because you're a young man and this is a company you started. What happened?

[Dan Gilbert]

Well, I don't know how young I am. He's a young man. He's a young man. There's 30,000 places you can get a mortgage in this country. Credit unions, brokers, mortgage bankers, commercial banks, Jamie Dimon, wherever you want to go. Right.

[Becky Quick]

This appearance of Dan Gilbert's on Squawk Box was in the spring of 2019. Just six weeks later, he suffered a debilitating stroke when a clot cut off blood flow to his brain here now for three hours.

[Dan Gilbert]

Short hours, though, because they've been fun hours. You guys are great. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. We got a lot more.

[Becky Quick]

In the years since, he's focused on recovery on his son and on his life's work investing in and rebuilding the city of Detroit. I spoke to him there as he was celebrating the opening of Hudson's Detroit. That's a large property development downtown.

[Dan Gilbert]

My name is Dan Gilbert. I am the founder and chairman of Rocket Companies, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers. I'm a Detroit booster.

[Becky Quick]

Are you guys ready?

[Dan Gilbert]

What else do I like? I'm thinking of a dating site, like what I would put on. Sounds rolling. Good. Speed. Is that the word you use?

[Becky Quick]

You're somebody who was selling pizzas in college.

[Dan Gilbert]

Yeah.

[Becky Quick]

What'd you do with that money?

[Dan Gilbert]

Well, I was delivering pizzas, but I started a little mortgage brokerage one summer.

[Becky Quick]

You started it with like, $5,000 in stuff.

[Dan Gilbert]

$5,000? Yes. My dad owned a bar at the north side of Detroit. I used to go down there and play with his adding machine in the basement. I'm not sure if people know what adding machines are anymore, but I just love being around people who are focused on a mission and busy. That was always exciting to me. I'd hustle on the playground, sell yo yos one year.

[Becky Quick]

For how much?

[Dan Gilbert]

I don't remember what they cost, but I know that in sixth grade they told me I can't do it anymore.

[Becky Quick]

The school told you that?

[Dan Gilbert]

Yeah. No more yo yos. No more selling of yo yos.

[Becky Quick]

People were complaining, cleaning them out.

[Dan Gilbert]

Yeah. You know that yo yo is an up and down business.

[Becky Quick]

So the entrepreneurial spirit is something that I've always associated so closely with you. I don't think you ever shake that. It's just part of who you are.

[Dan Gilbert]

No, I know people Describe like going 0 to 30, 30 to 60, 60 to 90 in a business. I always enjoy the 0 to 30 launch the most. And I think as you grow a business and get bigger and bigger, you miss that. So at that point, you either got to recreate your business to become more entrepreneurial or you got to go find another idea and do it again. If you want to get that same

[Becky Quick]

juice, let's talk a little bit about your family life.

[Dan Gilbert]

Sure.

[Becky Quick]

You and Jennifer have five kids together.

[Dan Gilbert]

Correct.

[Becky Quick]

And your oldest son, Nick was born in the late 90s. Tell me about Nick as a baby.

[Dan Gilbert]

A happy baby from day one. He was happy his whole life, actually. But 15 months old, the pediatrician discovered something called cafe au lait. Spatch, which means? Cafe au lait means coffee with cream. And so there's these spots on your skin, and that's a sign of something called neurofibromatosis, which is a genetic disorder. Most of the cases are genetic mutations in vitro. One out of 2,500 births in the world. And so like most parents who get that diagnosis, we go neuro. What? No one's ever heard of it. And anyone you ask, no one's ever heard it's one of those rare diseases no one's ever heard of, which I think is the problem with most rare diseases. The parents get the diagnosis and nobody's heard of it. You don't even know where to go. So you gotta. At that time, the Internet was brand new. Dove into that. So it's a scary time for any parent.

[Becky Quick]

Yeah. What did it mean in Nick's life early on, besides the cafe au Lait spots. What did you notice?

[Dan Gilbert]

Well, at that time, they want you to do. First of all, let me tell you. Neurofibromatosis means, literally means tumors on the nerve. So this genetic disease, it expresses itself with tumors on the nerves anywhere in the body at any time. Some people become very disfigured from it in their face. You probably have seen people that have big tumor growths on their face. Some just get it on their spine. His were in his brain, and the first one was on his optic nerve between his eye and his brain. And the concern then was his eyesight. So we had to do MRIs every, like three or four months to make sure it wasn't growing. And it wasn't growing for the first five years until he was close to six years old, and then it started growing. So at that point, he had a. Had his first bout of chemotherapy at five and a half, six years old. But he took it like a champ, like he did the whole time. And after that point, you're just still doing MRIs and you're watching for stuff and. And he got brain tumors in his brain starting at 10 years old. He had his first major surgery at 10 years old, which we did in Washington, D.C. and then after that period of time, he was on and off various chemo agents, radiation from time to time.

[Becky Quick]

There's no cure.

[Dan Gilbert]

There's definitely no cure. Still is no cure. So you manage it.

[Becky Quick]

His surgery when he was 10, I think you told him that he was going to have to have that surgery on his 10th birthday.

[Dan Gilbert]

Yes, he did. He just wanted to know if there was macaroni in the hospital.

[Becky Quick]

And that was a big tumor.

[Dan Gilbert]

Yes, it was.

[Becky Quick]

That they had to take out. How'd the surgery go? How did he handle it?

[Dan Gilbert]

Surgery went well. He handled it well. He just. He was always a funny kid. He would question the nurses. Did you go to school? He would ask the nurses. He would do things like, he's just a funny, funny kid. I mean, he dealt with a lot of his condition, disease with humor. He was an optimist, and he was a hard worker. I mean, he always believed that he was gonna get through all this, and so did we. And so on and off. We were fighting this, and he. He was doing fine for the most part till 2018, when there were some tumors. We just kind of got away from us. So we had two major surgeries that year. And from that point on till 2023, when we lost him, there were just surgeries, chemo. And then finally in 2023, just two and a half years ago, We lost them. I mean, we tried everything and the tumor grew too big. These aren't cancerous, malignant tumors. They're benign, but they can grow and cause all kinds of damage. The one that was a problem was in his brain stem, which is in a very bad place. It affects breathing. He started losing his hearing towards the end of his life, which was really frustrating. His eyesight was really. He was blinded, probably half blinded most of his life from the tumors. But when he lost his hearing and his eyesight, he would tell me, dad, I'm Helen Keller 2.0. But that was the worst part because, I mean, he couldn't hear, he couldn't see, he couldn't communicate. And he was all about communicating with people.

[Becky Quick]

Yeah, he was well loved.

[Dan Gilbert]

Yeah, he was loved by everybody. Everybody that met him loved him, and he loved everybody.

[Becky Quick]

We'll be right back. A History of the United States in

[Dan Gilbert]

100 Objects is a brand new podcast from 99% Invisible and BBC Studios. Each week we're looking at a different object from across American history with a unique story to tell about who we've been, what we've built, and what we've allowed ourselves to forget.

[Becky Quick]

Some of these objects are well known, many are not.

[Dan Gilbert]

But all of them carry the story

[Becky Quick]

of how we got to this moment.

[Dan Gilbert]

Find A history of the United States and 100 objects on the 99% invisible feed. Wherever you get your podcasts to. Covis is the Go to for premium handcrafted Western boots. Stop by any store location for a warm welcome, a cold drink in hand and a truly one of a kind shopping experience. Let our friendly staff help you find your new go to boots. Whether your first pair or your 50th. Finish things off with a complimentary boot brand to make them extra special. Come for the boots.

[Becky Quick]

Stay for the good times.

[Dan Gilbert]

To Covis Forever West.

[Becky Quick]

At Strayer University, we help students like you go from is it possible To Anything is possible by offering access to up to 10 no cost gen ed courses so you can reach your goals affordably and fast. Visit Strayer. Edu to learn more. No cost Gen EDS provided by Strayer University affiliate sofia. Eligibility rules apply. Connect with us for details. Strayer University is certified to operate in Virginia by Chev and has many campuses including at 2121 15th Street north in Arlington, Virginia. Welcome back to the path. I'm Becky Quick.

[Dan Gilbert]

Joining us now is Dan Gilbert. He is founder of Quicken Loans and the man has just bought the Cleveland Cavaliers. Yeah, we are. We're Getting in the basketball business pending NBA approval here. And we're real excited.

[Becky Quick]

Dan Gilbert purchased the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers for $375 million in 2005. At that time, the team's future looked brighter than its present did. LeBron James was coming off his rookie of the year season, but the team was struggling to rack up enough wins and be playoff contenders.

[Dan Gilbert]

And joining us once again to announce the order of the top three picks

[Becky Quick]

in the 2011 NBA Draft Lottery. When the teams who missed the NBA playoffs got together to draw for pick order in the player draft, there were a few NBA exec, some front office types, and a 14 year old boy.

[Dan Gilbert]

The number one pick in the 2011 NBA Draft belongs to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

[Becky Quick]

Nick Gilbert in a suit and bow tie, just doing his job. Nick, you're the ambassador for the National Children's Tumor foundation, and you've been dealing with a nerve disorder since you were born. Your dad called you his own personal hero. How's that make you feel?

[Dan Gilbert]

Well, I mean, what's not to like?

[Becky Quick]

What's not to like became a catchphrase for Nick and for the Cavs going through this disease.

[Dan Gilbert]

But I'm going through it well. I'm getting better. Research is with all the money people are donating and yeah, everything's going good.

[Becky Quick]

I guess when he was just 14 years old. You let him pick up the mic.

[Dan Gilbert]

Yeah, we rolled him out there as representing us in the lottery. He had a bow tie on and big round glasses. And we still wear. I don't know if I put bow

[Becky Quick]

ties on your collar right now.

[Dan Gilbert]

We still wear a bow tie collar to memorialize him. First, I want to thank Nick. Luck of the Nick. As for. What's there not to like, Cleveland, what's there? And I'd just like to thank all the folks.

[Becky Quick]

How did he take to that? I mean, it's kind of. It's a big deal to give your son the microphone and roll him out for the draft and have him do that. What's not to like? Congratulations. Enjoy this moment, guys. Well done. How did Nick think about that?

[Dan Gilbert]

Well, he had so much unfairness most of his life because this disease also hurt his coordination and his fine motor skills. So he really couldn't play sports like everyone else. Because of his eyesight, he couldn't get his driver's license. So this was a big moment for him. And he really, he really loved the opportunity. Became like almost his brand. Cleveland had, they had logos in him with a basketball with glasses on it and a bow tie and his Signature bow tie. Yes. And Cleveland loved him. So we rolled him out to the lottery the next three or four years. Unfortunately that we were in it.

[Becky Quick]

He was kind of a good luck charm too.

[Dan Gilbert]

We got three first round picks or first picks out of four years, so not bad. He went to Michigan State. Loved Michigan State and the Spartans. He got through it. Took him five years or so, five and a half years to get through it. But he had a lot of help there and he got through it. He was working on a sports bar to be in downtown Detroit before he passed away for the two years before. I mean he had a whole management team and everything picked out. And after he passed away, we still, we built it anyway. We called it Gillies, which was what his friends called him. It's a great sports bar in downtown, so that's up and running.

[Becky Quick]

He talked about you a lot and told people you were his best friend.

[Dan Gilbert]

Yeah.

[Becky Quick]

You've told people he was your hero.

[Dan Gilbert]

Yes, well, he was. You're not going to make me cry, are you?

[Becky Quick]

I'm not trying to, no. But I think it's probably, I mean, he handled it like a champ. It was probably a lot harder for you to watch it.

[Dan Gilbert]

It was very difficult. I wouldn't wish it on any parent.

[Becky Quick]

That's part of the reason that you and your family foundation is doing so much to try and find a cure.

[Dan Gilbert]

What have you done in his legacy and his honor? We're trying to still to this day trying to our hardest to wipe this disease off the planet. I mean, it's only 1 in 2500 births, but when you have a world of 8 billion people, that's still 2 million people that have this. And every year we have an honoree who has it at a benefit that we do in Detroit. We raised this year, we raised $12 million in one night. We keep breaking records. We're contributing about 50 million a year to research. But it's difficult road because it's, you know, every drug, as you know, takes 17 years and probably $2 billion to get it through the finish line. So if you have a rare disease like this, it's hard to get the capital and the interest behind finding cures for this disease because not that the market size, even if you are successful so small, I think that's a problem with a lot of, if not all of the rare diseases.

[Becky Quick]

I guess there have been so many people who have tried to come at this. How do you create a bigger addressable market? We've spent time thinking about that too. And I guess One way is to try and find common ground between different diseases and common ways of going after that. Where are you guys just in terms of what you think is the most likely or best scientific approach at this point?

[Dan Gilbert]

Every, even rare disease has its advocates. If you put them together and hopefully find common things that you can work on together, maybe even common cures that would cure across diseases, then you can convince others to come in because the market size would be so much bigger.

[Becky Quick]

Right. And knocking down some of the roadblocks that get in the way. What amazes me is the incredible science that's out there. We can do a lot of things, not just in theory, but actually in the lab. It's just really hard to get it from there to the patients.

[Dan Gilbert]

Exactly. And years and years and years. I think we have to find a better way. I know the FDA does a good job on first making sure a drug is safe, and then for efficacy, the trials, but maybe they take too long. I'm not the one that's the expert of all the steps you go through, but I'm sure there's a lot of bureaucracy in there. We could take out and take time out.

[Becky Quick]

Yeah, take time out and get it into human trials more quickly, maybe with better guidance for what you're looking for. Because most of the time, the cures for these rare diseases don't have a whole lot of money behind them. So if you go down one road path, one. One pathway, and it doesn't work, you don't have enough money to go start over.

[Dan Gilbert]

A lot of times you don't have the time either.

[Becky Quick]

Right. So how has your. How did the rest of your kids, you and your wife, deal with all of this as you got this diagnosis and you went through it?

[Dan Gilbert]

The kids have. They were all close to the same age. We had four kids in five years, and then we had a fifth kid. I don't know how, five years later. So they were very close, and they've actually joined together and created something called the Gilly Project, which is kind of bringing the fight to their generation. They do different events throughout the year, which is very nice to see, but definitely not easy for them. And my wife. Our marriage did not survive this. I mean, as mostly happens to parents who lose a kid. So we actually got divorced just about officially a couple months ago. I didn't understand why. I read about that in the past, like, why do marriages fail after losing a child? And I didn't understand it. Now I understand it.

[Becky Quick]

It's losing a child. It's dealing with the Hardship along the

[Dan Gilbert]

way a lot of times, and people grieve much differently. And there's reminders of the child in each other. It's not easy.

[Becky Quick]

I've struggled with how much to talk about my daughter. It's hard. Making that decision of whether to go public and when can be difficult. Did you and Jennifer struggle with that? About whether to go public with.

[Dan Gilbert]

I mean. I think so. Maybe she did a little bit more than me because I'm more sort of out there.

[Becky Quick]

Yeah.

[Dan Gilbert]

But, I mean, I'm. I'm fine with it. I'd rather that I talk about it and people are able to learn from it, and it could positively impact the situation. Nothing to hide.

[Becky Quick]

Well, maybe other people who have a family member with it too.

[Dan Gilbert]

Yeah.

[Becky Quick]

I mean, it's. I think it's. It's a lonely path. And when you find out that there are other people walking it, I think that helps a lot too.

[Dan Gilbert]

It definitely helps.

[Becky Quick]

Did you think about that before, or was it just kind of a natural thing when you first started talking about nf?

[Dan Gilbert]

That was one of the reasons why we decided to do this annual benefit in Detroit every year, because we do invite NF families, if you will, from all over the country that come, and we honor one. We had a kid this year. She's 8 years old, from North Carolina, I believe. Was she from North Carolina? Do you remember? No. She's from St. Louis.

[Becky Quick]

Okay.

[Dan Gilbert]

Close. Just kidding.

[Becky Quick]

It's not Detroit.

[Dan Gilbert]

She was 8 years old. Her name was Harper Grace. In front of 1800 people, we gave her this award, and she grabbed the microphone and sang a song. I mean, everybody's crying. And then at that moment, that's when we asked for the donations. Perfect.

[Becky Quick]

The kid's a natural leader. The deeper I get into this, the more I realize other people need to hear.

[Dan Gilbert]

Yes.

[Becky Quick]

So that they see they're not alone.

[Dan Gilbert]

Yeah. Just being around parents who have these kinds of situations, just talking to other parents has got to be helpful.

[Becky Quick]

Yeah.

[Dan Gilbert]

Certainly it doesn't hurt.

[Becky Quick]

A History of the United States in

[Dan Gilbert]

100 Objects is a brand new podcast from 99% Invisible and BBC Studios. Each week we're looking at a different object from across American history with a unique story to tell about who we've been, what we've built, and what we've allowed ourselves to forget.

[Becky Quick]

Some of these objects are well known, many are not, but all of them

[Dan Gilbert]

carry the story of how we got to this moment.

[Becky Quick]

Find A History of the United States

[Dan Gilbert]

and 100 objects on the 99% invisible feed. Wherever you get your Podcasts the day begins at the Chase Sapphire Lounge by the club at Boston Logan Airport. You get the clam chowder in San Diego, it's Tostadas New York Espresso Martini. It's 10:00am why not? It's the quiet before your next flight. The shower that resets your day. The menu that lets you know where you are. This is access to over 1300 airport lounges and every Sapphire Lounge by the club. And one card that gets you in Chase Sapphire Reserve now even more rewarding. Learn [e-mail] Sapphire Reserve cards issued by JP Morgan Chase bank and a member FDIC subject to credit approval.

[Becky Quick]

Not every sale happens at the register. Before AT&T business Wireless, checking out customers on our mobile POS systems took too long.

[Dan Gilbert]

Basically a staring contest where everyone loses.

[Becky Quick]

It's crazy what people say during an awkward silence. Now transactions are done before the silence takes hold. That means I can focus on the task at hand and make an extra sail or two. Sometimes I do miss the bonding time. Sometimes. AT&T business Wireless Connecting changes everything. This is the path. I'm Becky Quick. All of this was happening not only while you were building this incredible company, rocket Companies, and adding a bunch of other companies along the way, but what you were doing here in Detroit. I mean, we're 12 years out from the bankruptcy of Detroit and this is a different place.

[Dan Gilbert]

Yeah, it is. I mean, we definitely had a big part of leading that, but there's been a lot of people involved in this rebirth here. And it's very exciting to see and it's very exciting to feel the energy of the place. I mean, we made sure early on that we aligned ourselves with all the important groups and leadership of the city, the community, I mean, the police force, you name it. So we had a very kind of like, intentional strategy of making sure that we were all in one boat, growing together others in the business community. And we did have a big bang approach to be able to do it at one time because I think it's really hard to do separate categories of needs. We can't just build three blocks of retail and say, now it's time to build some apartments. I mean, because they all feed off each other. Right.

[Becky Quick]

You can't build it piecemeal.

[Dan Gilbert]

Right.

[Becky Quick]

But it's really hard to think of the big bang happening in a town, in a city. It is.

[Dan Gilbert]

I mean, we were fortunate enough to have a high employee count. I mean, when you have up to 15,000 team members like us, it is like having an army and they'll do so much. Our people are so committed to it. And the concept of us having this mission attracts better and better people because great people want to be part of a mission above and beyond their paycheck. So that all works nicely together.

[Becky Quick]

Did you know that getting into it or have you learned that along the way?

[Dan Gilbert]

I think we learned it along the way.

[Becky Quick]

What other isms do you have?

[Dan Gilbert]

I can get you the book for $19.95 plus shipping and handling. Okay, well, our isms are numbers and money follow. They do not lead. So we never, we never lead with money. I mean, we're in things for long term. We're always trying to raise our people's level of awareness. As we say, want all of our team members eyeballs on everything, not just two of the chairman or two of the CEO. Because from a ground up approach, you get so much information and so many ideas from people who are doing the real work and all that adds up. If you ask me about the isms, I'll talk about them for 20 hours and that'll take up the next two days of programming.

[Becky Quick]

I do want one of the books. You're a good salesman though, Dan. You've had your own health setbacks too. You dealt with a stroke in May of 2019.

[Dan Gilbert]

Yes, six and a half years ago. And I've recovered somewhat from it, but it's still got a long ways to go. Still trying new rehab options and different treatments, but I'm walking with a cane and I'm confident I'll walk again soon. But it's just been taking a long time.

[Becky Quick]

Yeah, but you've been hard working. You've been working hard at it. I think about you all the time with all of the things that you're doing first, you know, handling your own health issues, grieving for your son and pushing for him for so many years. But you did that while you were also building this huge company and while you've been rebuilding the city of Detroit. How in the world do you separate all that? Does it meld together? How do you figure that out?

[Dan Gilbert]

It kind of melds together. I mean, basically when you have these situations, I think you just got to. It's just what's going to happen next. You can't focus on the past. There's nothing you can do. I mean, when you're dealt a card like I was dealt with the stroke or my son, you just have to get the next card and try to play it. I mean, things you can't control. So you got work on the things you try to Control. And we dove into the foundation and finding cures for this disease so other kids and other families don't have to continue to suffer from it.

[Becky Quick]

Did you deal with it the same way that you deal with business?

[Dan Gilbert]

I'd say we try to approach it in that way.

[Becky Quick]

Which means what?

[Dan Gilbert]

Hire the best possible people to run it. The great leadership. Give them the best culture, give them the capital that they need. Try to find relationships that they'll benefit by. I mean, when you do have a large business, you do have the luxury of having a lot of assets and relationships and political power, if you will, to make things happen. So, I mean, that's been fortunate. We're in that position. I often wonder how the, you know, the average Joe gets through all this. It's not easy.

[Becky Quick]

I do, too. Is it ever frustrating to think, you know, you've got billions of dollars and yet you can't fix everything?

[Dan Gilbert]

You can't? No. That's a sobering thing. Sometimes you feel like maybe that's the message I'm getting. You can't fix everything. So you just try to take one step in front of the next and do the best you can.

[Becky Quick]

What do you think you've learned most from Nick?

[Dan Gilbert]

Well, I've learned that you can because, I mean, he didn't fully recover, but he did have times where he surprised us all. He graduated college. He kept a great friend group his whole life. He was just a funny, incredible person. I know everybody says that about their kid, but he really was. And so you learn a lot from that, that he can be in pain and going through all this stuff and not have what everybody else has. But he somehow made progress. So in his name, that's what we have to do.

[Becky Quick]

And I think he has a jersey at the Cleveland Cavs arena, too.

[Dan Gilbert]

We did. We retired his jersey with a bow tie on it. Everybody, one time for Nick.

[Becky Quick]

Get a rally tally in your hand,

[Dan Gilbert]

and let's go crazy for him right now. 3, 2, 1. Make some noise for our very own Nick Gilbert. We'll never forget you, buddy.

[Becky Quick]

You think you can tackle this disease? You think there is a cure in the future?

[Dan Gilbert]

I do believe there is. We're working on something. We work on. Our biggest hope is this process called organoids, which we have these scientists that we're funding who grow organs in a dish, literally. Then they grow tumors that are similar to the tumors the patients have and can try multiple drug combinations on the tumor in the organoid to see if it helps it and doesn't hurt the organ. It's really a miracle.

[Becky Quick]

I mean, it's a faster process and probably one that is much more reflective of how those drugs would act in the body than doing humanoid mouse models or even primates.

[Dan Gilbert]

And they can be individualized, although that's expensive. It really. It does matter, because at this level, one drug does not fit all. Everybody's so different genetically and everything else.

[Becky Quick]

If there was anything you'd want other people to know about Nick, what would it be?

[Dan Gilbert]

Well, I mean, I have a whole file of funny moments that he lived through. I mean, I can give you a few if you want.

[Becky Quick]

Yeah.

[Dan Gilbert]

Well, he sat next to Kid Rock at a basketball game, and I'm watching him. This isn't at the Cavs game. This is at a Pistons game. And I'm watching from the other side of the court. I had different seats. All of a sudden, I see Kid Rock going up the stairs to the concessions. After the game, I asked Kid Rock, what were you doing? He said, well, your son needed chips and cheese, so I had to go get him. So he convinced Kid Rock to go get him some chips and cheese. I mean, he could do that. He was a salesman. When the surgeon looked at him and asked him right before the surgery, one of his surgeries when he was, I think, 10, do you have any questions? After he went through the whole process, Nick looks at him and says, just one. Can I leave now? And do you have macaroni downstairs? I mean, he was like that with everything, just funny on the spot. He had the softest hands of any human in the world.

[Becky Quick]

I love that. Thank you for sharing your stories about him, and I know so many people miss him, too.

[Dan Gilbert]

Yes. Well, I appreciate that, and thank you for your time.

[Becky Quick]

Thank you. As we finished our conversation, Dan and I spent a few quiet moments just catching up. I honestly don't know how you do all of this.

[Dan Gilbert]

No, I won't.

[Becky Quick]

Thank you. I really don't. When I thanked him for his time, he said something that keeps coming back to me. No one gets out of this life unscathed. The humility and the acceptance in that and the commitment that it took to continue to look for treatments as a possible cure for other children. That is something that has really stuck with me. It may not be quite one of Dan's isms, but it is a reminder that we are all walking this path together. Thank you for being here, and thank you for walking it with us. You can subscribe to the CNBC Cures newsletter for our latest stories, video clips and more resources. Just send us an email if you'd like to cnbc.curesmbc.com I'll tell you, I am finding a lot of hope in many of your stories and we really appreciate it. Episodes of the path are on YouTube, CNBC.com and podcast platforms. In our next episode, the unforgettable story of value investor Guy Spier. He's been diagnosed with the rare brain cancer glioblastoma. Guy closed his nearly $500 million fund and he returned the money to investors. In his time remaining, he wants to focus on what really matters.

[Dan Gilbert]

The median survival rate is like 14 or 15 months for this and somehow I'm going strong. So every day is basically a gift. So I might as well celebrate. The batting average of the Grim Reaper is 100%. You know, he gets us all in the end. But I don't like this idea of a battle of cancer or a battle with any disease because at the end of the day, we all die. And I like this idea of you're playing a game against the grim reaper. And for every day that you're around, our job is to win as many

[Becky Quick]

points against the grim reaper as we possibly can. Thank you to our producers and the team at CNBC for their work and their support on this. We will see you next time.

[Dan Gilbert]

This is a vacation with Chase Sapphire Reserve. The butler, the spa. This is the edit a collection of hand picked luxury hotels and a $500 Edit Credit Chase Sapphire Reserve. Now even one more rewarding learn more at chase. Com Sapphire reserve cards issued by Morgan Chase bank and a member FDIC subject to credit approval.