I'm SO excited to share that I’ll be running the 2025 TCS NYC Marathon on behalf of Good Grief!

Good Grief builds resilience in children, strengthens families, and empowers communities to grow through loss and adversity. They stand on the front lines, supporting grieving children and families—wherever they are, whenever they need it, for as long as they need it.

As someone who experienced a major loss at a young age and attended Good Grief, I can personally confirm that the work they do is not only important, but truly life-changing.

To give a little context: In August 2004, my family and I lost my dad to his battle with colon cancer. I was only ten years old and struggled to process my grief in a healthy way. I felt alone, angry, depressed, and cheated. After a few challenging years as a grieving adolescent, my mom found Good Grief. I was about 14 years old when we attended our first meeting in Summit, NJ. While it was scary at first, Good Grief soon became the medicine my mom and I needed to begin healing.

As I got older, I continued attending Good Grief in the teen group and even witnessed the program grow—moving from a church basement to one of its current homes in Morristown. Good Grief gave me the language to express my emotions, a safe space to process my feelings and share stories about my dad, and most importantly, it gave my mom and me the chance to talk and laugh together on our drives to and from meetings.

The impact Good Grief had on me is profound. I wrote my college essay about my experience, and chose to major in Counseling and Human Services because of the incredible facilitators and volunteers who supported me. In college, I joined a grief group and led multiple retreats, where I shared my story and helped others process their own experiences with loss and trauma. I even returned to Good Grief as a summer intern and still carry the lessons I learned there into the work I do today.

As a runner and a New York transplant, I’ve watched the TCS NYC Marathon for years—feeling inspired and filled with hope that someday I’d be among those runners. I thought long and hard about how I’d accomplish this goal and, if I were fortunate enough to run 26.2 miles, who I’d want to run for. It is truly an honor and a privilege to run my first-ever marathon, in my city, for Team Good Grief.

This is where you come in, reader.

If you can relate to my story—or know someone who has lost a parent, sibling, or caregiver at a young age—I invite you to donate to my cause to raise money for Good Grief.

According to the Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model, approximately 30 kids in New Jersey become newly bereaved each day. Without the right support, this traumatic experience can lead to long-term mental and physical health challenges such as anxiety and depression. The need for Good Grief’s free programs continues to grow, and I’m committed to positively impacting the lives of grieving children.

Please join me in changing the future for grieving kids.