This weekend I was in Salt Lake City and needed to run 14 miles so I googled running clubs, picked one and ran with a new group of 'friends', one of the runners asked "why did you decide to run a marathon?" The answer I usually give is "because I can't climb Mt Everest" I've thought a lot about that question the past 2 days and I think right now the reason I'm doing this goes back a long way maybe it's time you all heard my story.
May 2007 sitting at the park watching my boys play, my sister calls, which is nothing unusual we talked almost everyday, but she is bothered by something I can tell. She tells me that AmyLynne, her 4 year old daughter has had blood in her urine. Well that means a kidney infection right? They were coming to Preston for the weekend because Dylan was being baptized, 'just run her in here for a quick check'. No infection go and see your regular Dr. when you get home. Well after 3 weeks of 'let's do an xray' 'can't really see anything' 'what about an ultra-sound' and finally KL just saying do a CT scan. AmyLynne has cancer. For more on her story visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/amylynne
I watched from the sidelines as an aunt to this sweet little girl, doing whatever I needed to do to help, at times not sure what to do, trying to be strong when KL would ask me the hard questions,"do you think she will die?" Then being at home and letting out the tears and frustrations that I felt for them.
We came across the Pablove bike across America, they dedicated one day to AmyLynne, looking at their website I saw that they had a team for the LA marathon, I had run some 5k's and thought maybe I could participate in the 10k.
Then as late Sept turned into early Oct I realized I could easily run a 10k. AmyLynne had done things that were NOT easy, I needed to do something hard for her, for me, for her family, for KayLynne, for all the children that have to go through this. We saw and heard of miracles almost everyday not only with AmyLynne but with so many others. AmyLynne passed away October 9, 2010 after a fight worth running a marathon for.
Utah valley marathon is 100% charitable for "Christmas for Families with kids with Cancer"
I have witnessed those I love and care about doing hard things and if this will make something hard become easy for someone else I will do it.
Nath,
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings. I am proud of you and KL for doing this, hopefully next year I can join you. Also thanks for being there for KL through all of this the past few years. I love you and I know you have held up some very heavy shoulders when yours wanted to crumble down too. I couldn't ask for better sisters. I love you!
Kim
Amazing! Inspiring! and just plain cool!
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine what my world would be like if I'd have gotten that news. What a beautiful way to pay tribute!