Racing to Support Foundation for Grieving Children

Losing my Dad was, and still is the toughest hardship I have had to face every day of my entire life. I have watched & heard my friends and family reminisce on the memories they have shared with their Fathers. I never got to experience my first baseball game with my dad, any graduation with my dad, or important conversations you look to have with your father as you grow up. 

Luckily, I was blessed with two people who did everything in their power to fill the void I had from losing a parent: my grandfather and my step-father. Unfortunately, six years ago I lost my grandfather to a tragic accident as well. I had to experience the feeling of grief for a second time. It was just as hard, if not harder then the first time. He was my best friend.

Growing up, whenever my friends or acquaintances lost a loved one, they'd come to me to ask how they should feel, or to just have a shoulder to lean on. I told them how I dealt with the pain, but when you lose a loved one, there truly are no words to make the pain any better.

Little is taught in our schools from elementary to college, yet every one of us will need these skills at some time in our lives.

It is the youngest in our society who struggle to better understand the grieving process, yet few support services and resources are available to them in our country and abroad.

 If I had one wish, it would be that no child could ever lose a parent ever again; because at no age, whether four years old or fifty years old, does the pain ever get easier, not matter how many days go on.

Which is why I am running this half marathon in hope of giving back to children who are in the same shoes that I once was in by raising money for the Foundation for Grieving Children. So that they can find the necessary tools to help them cope, and hopefully make their day a sliver easier than the day before.

This one is for you dad.