Several weeks ago, after we published the story of Wilton resident Lindsay Wheeler, who will be running the 44th Annual TSC NYC Marathon to raise awareness for mental health, GOOD Morning Wilton put out a call for more stories from other residents also planning on running the race this Sunday, Nov. 2. As always, we’re blown away by the causes close to people’s hearts, especially when they’re moved to put in long hours and extraordinary physical effort to train to run 26.2 miles, all with a higher goal, to benefit someone or something else. We started with yesterday’s stories about two friends, both running to defeat cancer. Today and Friday we’ll share more, to honor our subjects and their efforts.
Today we’re telling the story of two different people, each running to support a loved one, and others like them. Both are incredibly generous in spirit and strength.
Running Strides to help Others Relearn How to Walk
Cara Lorenzoni, a Wilton resident who has run two marathons in the past, is ready for her third–but this time it’s a little different. She’ll be running in the 44th annual TCS New York City Marathon this weekend in honor of her friend, Brad Berman, who survived a massive hemorrhagic stroke in 2013. She’s joined a team supporting the Burke Rehabilitation Center along with other family members and friends of Berman who was a patient at Burke after his stroke.
Brad, a father of two and a marathon runner himself, was just 37 when he was rushed to the emergency room and underwent surgery. The family learned that Brad had an AVM (arteriovenous malformation), a congenital malformation of blood vessels, which had ruptured the morning of his stroke. Brad was in a coma for more than a month and once he woke up, had to relearn how to breathe, walk and talk.
“I met Brad during our junior year of high school. I was a new student at Yorktown High School that year and remember Brad as kind and friendly face in an unfamiliar environment,” Lorenzoni said. “As I learned more about the movement to raise awareness about AVMs and other brain injuries, I wanted to do what I could to spread their message of hope. I am honored to be a part of the team and will support the Bermans in the spirit of strength, determination and courage!”
After spending four months in the hospital, including time as an inpatient at Burke, Brad went home to be with his family. Today, Brad continues to receive outpatient therapy at Burke. He now also works with the state-of-the-art robotic assisted devices at Burke Medical Research Institute’s Restorative Neurology Clinic.
Through the marathon, Lorenzoni and the rest of the team of runners known as “Run for Brad,” are helping Brad and his wife Jessica to raise money to create and build a lower extremity robotics program at Burke. The robotics program will help patients who have difficulty walking due to stroke or brain injury, since these conditions often cause paralysis or weakness on one side of the body.
The team’s goal is to raise $100,000. If you are interested in supporting Cara’s run, visit the team’s webpage.
Burke Rehabilitation Hospital is a private, not-for-profit, acute rehabilitation hospital. Founded in 1915, it is the only hospital in Westchester County dedicated solely to rehabilitation medicine. Burke offers both inpatient and outpatient programs for those who have experienced a disabling illness, traumatic injury or joint replacement surgery. The hospital is part of Burke Rehabilitation Center, which also includes Burke Medical Research Institute and Burke’s Outpatient Division. The Burke mission is to ensure that every patient makes the fullest possible recovery from illness or injury regardless of their ability to pay. For additional information on Burke Rehabilitation Center, please visit their website.
Living with MS, But Running for a ‘Beautiful Girl’ to Beat Leukemia
by John Schiaroli
My marathon story goes back to 2013, when I was training for my first marathon (NYC) to support the Multiple Sclerosis Society. As an athlete living with MS for the past 14 years, I have always held this organization near and dear to my heart. I had raised more than $5,000 for the “Race To Stop MS” team last year.
Three days prior to the 2013 marathon, we received a phone call from my 10-year-old step-daughter Anna‘s doctors, telling us something was wrong with Anna and we urgently needed to take her to the hospital. On Friday, Nov. 1, 2013, two days before the race, Anna was diagnosed with Leukemia. Obviously running the race no longer had any importance to me.
That Sunday, in the hospital, Anna and I watched the NYC Marathon on television. She was so excited to see all the people and I asked her if she wanted me to do that for her, now that as of Nov. 1, 2013 I have pledged to only participate in events that benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training. Anna said, “OK, yes do that race for me, ,but can you also do one of those long Triathlons?” I replied back, “Do you mean an ‘Ironman?’”
“Yes!” she said. I told her that I will do both in her honor and will let her pick the Ironman she wants me to do.
Now that Anna is feeling so much better than a year ago and with the NYC marathon so close, she has often asked me if I am going running today and for how long? Most of my runs happen while she is asleep, as I try really hard to finish the training early and not miss any moments with my beautiful girl.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training effort raises funds to help find cures and better treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and runners hope to help improve the quality of life for patients and their families as well. Donations on Schiaroli’s webpage will support his efforts with Team In Training and help advance the research for cures.