Like we so often hear, other priorities took over the importance I placed on running. Initially it was a marriage, a job, a busy second job, but then an unexpected divorce. It seemed my world was quickly changing and when I least expected my dad, a firefighter in Lynn, IN died in the line of duty less than a year after my husband left. Running was no longer important. Surviving was my only objective. Unfortunately, I didn't realize how important one was to the other.
I spent a couple years learning to grieve and in the process took on a new job which led me to finding my passion...helping others who grieve. I work for an organization called Supporting Heroes. This non profit organization helps families of police, fire and EMS workers who die in the line of duty in Indiana and Kentucky. The staff members respond to every line of duty death in both states to provide the families with financial funding, as well as outreach and a host of other support mechanisms AT NOT COST to the family. They were angels to my family. They just appeared and began helping us put our lives back together. What many people don't understand is that the grieving process cannot begin if individuals are worried about the basic necessities in life, such as money, food, clothes. That's what Supporting Heroes does...they take away those worries so that families can begin to process their grief. And then, they continue to support families long after the initial tragedy. THEY ARE AMAZING!
I offered to volunteer for Supporting Heroes, but with God's hand, I was fortunate enough to actually begin working for the organization in July, 2012. It is an honor to assist other families and help them in some way during such a terrible time. Not to mention, I am able to keep my dad's memory and spirit alive. It's a truly amazing job.
So, what does any of this have to do with the INdianapolis Mini Marathon in 2015?? Well, through my job I meet amazing people almost every day. One of those amazing people is Desirae Brown. She works in public safety and is organizing a fundraiser (The Heroes Challenge) for Supporting Heroes. Little did I know that she is a runner, too. Her story is similar to mine and as it turns out, we both have a desire to get back into running, as well as get healthy again. While joking around on social media, we decided to go on this journey to good health together and to do so with purpose. We've committed to running the INdianapolis Mini Marathon on May 1, 2015, but we're not running it for us. We've decided to run this mini for those who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. We're 'Running For Them Because They Stood For Us'!
We're going to track our training through this blog. We'll also highlight those who've died in the line of duty during our training, too. What better motivation is there than to run for those who've sacrificed it all, as well as their families who continue to struggle with the loss of their loved one. We'll share more about these heroes during our journey and hope that you will consider joining us on our quest to get healthy. You can run with us or maybe even sponsor us if you feel so moved.
I'll also spend some time sharing about Supporting Heroes. They're the reason families in Kentucky and Indiana are able to connect and move forward in their grieving process. In addition to that, we've got a few surprises we'll share along the way, too. If you have ideas or suggestions, please share those with us! What makes this even more exciting is that Desirae and I live about 6 hours apart...so these blogs are just as much for us, as they are for you! So, welcome to our journey! Help us get healthy and celebrate those who gave their lives in the line of duty. BE SAFE!
No comments:
Post a Comment