I consider myself the luckiest kid on the planet to have had Andy as my dad. He was selfless, resilient, and perpetually kind.
My dad started experiencing symptoms of ALS in November 2020. The first symptoms of ALS that my dad experienced were his loss of coordination, weakness in his legs, and falling. I remember going to physical therapy with him and seeing how hard it was for him to get out of a wheelchair, even with assistance. We were told that he was just getting older, that he was not active enough, and that time in rehabilitation would fix him.
After six months of symptoms, my dad was diagnosed with ALS in April of 2021. He passed away less than two weeks later.
In the face of his diagnosis, my dad simply said “it’s okay. I am still going to fight.” While he received a death sentence, he was comforting me as I cried. My dad spent his life putting others before himself and continued to do so until his passing.
After he passed, I began finding new ways to take care of myself and my mental health. One of my newfound hobbies was running. During my first visit to the ALS TDI lab, I mentioned this and how I wanted to run a half marathon the following year. I was then told that ALS TDI had applications open to run the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon on their charity team. It felt like a sign from my dad that I had to apply. When I received the call that I had been selected I was absolutely elated. After officially accepting my bib, I asked every runner I knew for advice. Each of them said the same thing, “it’s tougher mentally.” Throughout each of my runs, I was determined to beat the mental game. Whenever it got hard, I reminded myself that I was doing this with my dad. I didn’t care about my time or pace, I just wanted to finish it. I wanted to truly enjoy it and soak in the time with my dad. Running has truly changed my perspective on a lot of things. It reminds me that I have the incredible privilege of being able to freely use my body.
ALS TDI even created a Facebook group with all the runners, and I quickly found myself with a new group of friends and cheerleaders. We all messaged each other after training runs, shared tips, and even recommended the best running equipment.
Race weekend is one of my proudest moments. To finally achieve something, you didn’t think possible is an unmatchable feeling. We started our weekend with a pre-race dinner where we met as a group, shared our ALS stories, and fueled our bodies before the big day. I met people from all over the country who were running for the same reason - to honor somebody they love. We were all using our bodies and our abilities on behalf of our loved one who lost that ability because of ALS.
On race day we were surrounded by the unwavering love and support of ALS TDI staff and supporters, all cheering us on from the sidelines. There were spots of purple everywhere. Some of the race felt longer, but I felt my dad with me the entire time. Crossing the finish line with his name written on my jersey instantly brought me to tears. While running 13.1 miles was hard, I can’t even imagine how much harder taking a single step was for my dad.
Fundraising in support of ALS research was an instant “yes” from me. I want to see the day where no other child loses a parent to ALS. I shared my dad’s story on social media, mailed handwritten letters to family and friends, and asked community members to help support my fundraiser. The support was immediate and generous. The power of community is incomparable.
To know my dad was to know an unwavering love, and to know me is to know my dad. I feel so lucky that I was able to share my dad and carry him with me for 13.1 miles across New York City in support of ALS research and a future where no other kid loses a parent to ALS.
Applications to run the 2025 United NYC Half Marathon with ALS TDI are out now and will be open until 12/16/24. You can apply here: https://als.net/nyc-half-marathon/application
