My dad passed away when I was 15 years old. Before his passing, my dad was at every single competition and sporting event. He may have been watching from the car or standing at the furthest door so he didn’t have to socialize, but he was there regardless. 

He was the go-to parent carpool. As he drove us to away games and tournaments, my dad was silent while my friends and I listened to the radio and talked about whatever pre-teen girls would talk about. He would occasionally break his silence and stoic stature to playfully dance to songs like My Humps by The Black Eyed Peas.

After each game, he would be quick to debrief. He was a man of few words, but he always had something to say about our team’s performance. I like to think this was his way of communicating the potential he saw in me as a teammate.In everything I did, whether it was sports or academics, my dad always told me, “Don’t try your best, do it.” I always interpreted this as, “trying leaves room for excuses.”

My dad also taught me to never quit. Sadly, after his passing, I found myself quitting pretty much anything I started. I quit club volleyball, I quit high school volleyball before my senior year, I quit any opportunity to recreationally or competitively dance, and even in my professional career I quit more jobs than I’m comfortable admitting.
Aside from my career, it has been a long, emotional journey fighting through the guilt and shame of quitting. It’s been hard feeling like I’ve settled for mediocrity, when I’ve been taught to do my best.
But now it’s time to change that.

Training to run 26.2 miles is not going to be easy. It will probably be the most mentally and physically challenging thing I’ve ever done. But I’m going to do my best and I’m certainly not going to quit. This will be the first recreational goal, unrelated to academics and career, that I will finally see through.

With that being said, I am excited to be running the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon on behalf of Good Grief!

Good Grief builds resilience in children, strengthens families, and empowers communities to grow from loss and adversity. They stand on the front lines supporting children by equipping them with the skills they need to navigate adversities such as grief, divorce, bullying and more. One in 14 kids will experience the death of a parent or sibling before the age of 18, and three out of five will experience other adversities such as divorce, bullying and more . Without the right support, these experiences can result in long term mental and physical health problems such as anxiety and depression. The need for Good Grief's free programs continues to grow. I am committed to positively impacting the lives of children. Join me in changing the future for all kids.