The first-ever Beast Games champion wasn’t just playing for the prize money. Jeffery Randall Allen, a father from Columbus, won $10 million after winning Prime Video’s reality competition series, presented by YouTube sensation MrBeast. But for Allen, this victory was about more than a paycheck—it was about raising awareness for his son, Lucas, who suffers from a rare genetic disorder called Creatine Transporter Deficiency (CTD). With his winnings, he hopes to fund critical research and make a difference for families battling the same condition.
MrBeast, also known as Jimmy Donaldson, has built a massive following through videos featuring extravagant prizes and over-the-top challenges, often resembling reality TV shows. After spotting a casting call for Beast Games, a reality competition series inspired by Netflix’s Squid Game, Jeffery saw an opportunity he couldn’t pass up and immediately applied. 
For Allen, applying wasn’t merely about the money; it carried much deeper personal significance. As the father of two sons, he saw the competition as a chance to provide Jack with an unforgettable experience and to raise awareness for his younger son, Lucas, who faces significant health challenges. At just seven years old, Lucas was diagnosed with Creatine Transporter Deficiency (CTD). According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, this rare condition impacts the body’s ability to produce or transport creatine.
Allen first became aware of CTD when he noticed that Lucas was not reaching key developmental milestones like his older brother. “Lucas is one of the four hundred people in the world diagnosed with this condition. It’s a rare genetic brain disorder where the transporter that takes creatine from the blood to the brain doesn’t work. Most people think of creatine; they think of stuff for bodybuilders or, you know, high-performance athletes to help them get stronger and recover faster. That is true, but our bodies make it naturally, and Lucas’s body makes it fine. But the transporter that takes it into the muscles and the brain is defective, so it doesn’t work.” Jeffery Allen explains in one of his YouTube videos.
“So Lukie’s brain does not get the energy it needs to function, develop, and thrive. Currently, there’s no treatment, and there’s no cure. We have some awesome researchers out there trying to change that, but it’s heavily underfunded, not a ton of focus on it, and you know that’s ultimately why I signed up for Beast Games.” Allen adds.
“Forever blessed that we can use that money for good, we can make sure our family is take care of, but also that other families with CTD that we develop kinda invest in the research to help find a therapy for our kidos ulamametly,” Jeffery Allen shares during an interview with CBS News Bay Area.
Allen’s family is already actively funding research into CTD, but the cost is far from covered, even with his winnings. “To find a therapy, or discover one, and test to make sure it is a safe and effective one will cost anywhere between $30 million to $40 million total,” he explained.
This is why Jeffery Allen is setting out on a new challenge: walking 365 miles, from the eastern border to the Pacific Ocean, to raise additional funds for CTD research.“We’ll start in the desert, which is kinda fitting to have a handful of days in the desert, and we’ll end up closer to Santa Barbara, and the ultimate aim is to walk right into the ocean to end it.” He concludes.
With this journey, Jeffery aims to raise awareness for CTD and help fund research toward a potential treatment or cure.
