Running the NYC marathon has always been in the back of my mind as a goal I would one day achieve. I assumed I would do it one day, but every year seemed to not be the right year to run the 26.2 miles. I was scared that I wouldn’t be dedicated enough or have the strength to complete the runs.
This past spring I went for a jog where I live in Riverdale, NY. While running, I thought of my grandmother, Essie Devine, as I often do running because she lived in Riverdale for much of her life. My routes will often take me by my grandmother’s apartment or parks and restaurants that I visited with her as a child. I thought about how my grandmother was the sweetest and warmest person I have ever known. I thought about how when we would visit her, her face would just light up with pure joy and happiness to see you. She was such an incredibly loving person that it was impossible to be even slightly upset when around her. I decided that I would have the strength to run the marathon if I did it in her memory.
My grandmother passed away in 2004 after suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for about 6 years. It was really hard for my entire family to watch her become so confused and scared. Her face would no longer light up when you visited, but rather give you a blank stare. As with any terminal illness, my family felt helpless and hopeless in watching my grandmother slowly deteriorate. I’m honored to run the marathon on team Run2Remember because they are giving families hope that Alzheimer’s disease will one day be cured.
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