Above: An inspiring Southborough resident is using the 2024 Boston Marathon to raise funds to help others with spinal cord injuries and disabilities. (logo from social media)
[The Boston Marathon always includes a pack of runners from our town. Between now and Patriots Day, I’m featuring stories of resident runners donning bibs for a cause]
Over seven years ago, Southborough’s Grace Bellefeuille believed she would never walk again, let alone run in the marathon that had been a dream since she was a kid. She was wrong.
On Monday, she will be running the Boston Marathon to raise funds for Journey Forward, a non-profit “dedicated to bettering the lives of those with spinal cord injuries or disability”.
Her fundraising page shares what happened when she was injured playing ice hockey in November 2016 and why she is running:
Since I was a kid, it’s been a dream of mine to run the Boston Marathon. . .
It became a realization that I would never walk again, let alone run a 26.2-mile race. After leaving Boston Children’s Hospital, I had only regained full mobility back in the lower half of my body, while the upper half was still limited. Little did I know the journey was far from over. After six months of intense therapy, I was (almost) back to my full ability before the accident. Later that same year, I returned to hockey and soon understood I would never be the same. Today, I must remind myself that I’m grateful to get out of bed on my recognizance; unfortunately, others can’t say the same. That’s why I’m honored and proud to finally be chasing my dream of running the 128th Boston Marathon with Journey Forward. Journey Forward is the reason why people like me can feel a sense of normality after such traumatic experiences. They continue to give people hope daily and remind others that the battle is more than physical. It’s mental, too. If you can, please join me in supporting such a great cause.
To support her fundraiser, click here. To learn more about the non-profit, click here.
[Note: If you are a Southborough resident using the Marathon to raise funds/awareness for a cause, please reach out with your information. Email mysouthborough@gmail.com.]
