My name is Anthony and I am a
fireman in Engine 10 (Ten House) of the FDNY. It is a dangerous job but with
great risk comes great reward. Every day that I go to work I have the
opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. It is a very special feeling
to be able to do that for someone you've never met. Now I have an amazing
opportunity to make a difference in the lives of two women very close to me who
are afflicted by Crohn’s Disease, my Mother-In-Law—Ann, and the wife of my Best
Man—Mariellen, who has been a friend of mine for over 20 years but was unable
to attend my wedding due to Crohn’s Disease.
They are among the over 1.4 MILLION,
and growing, number of people who suffer—many of them silently—from Crohn’s
& Colitis. It doesn’t just afflict a person’s body, debilitating them
physically, but it can also affect them emotionally by turning everyday things
we take for granted, like a walk in the park with our family, into a terrifying
ordeal. I mentioned that many people suffer in silence. They do so because of
the social stigmatism that is often attached to diseases that affect the bowel
system.
Crohn’s is a hereditary disease
which means my wonderful wife—Beth, our beautiful daughter—Ella, and our baby
due in October, may one day be afflicted by this disease. I am running in this
Half Marathon so that I can help put an end to Ann, Mariellen, and David’s
suffering and so that should the day come that Beth, Ella, or Andi is diagnosed
with Crohn’s Disease that they will not suffer long.
I need all of your help. I want to
come in first! I don’t mean to cross the finish line first. I don’t think I
could do that even if I drove. I want to raise more money than anybody. I can’t
do that without all of your help. So I guess I want US to come in first. Help me
by making donations and I’ll work my tail off to be worthy of your help. I will
get US past the finish line. Now I need you to get US past our fundraising
goal. Together we can make a difference!
Today was the last Team
Training. Next Stop Vegas! Right now I am the 2nd Place
Fundraiser but I’m only $2000 behind.
Help give me the financial push to finish 1st!
MILE DEDICATIONS:
MILE #1: MY WONDERFUL WIFE, BETH,
WHO HAS GIVEN ME THE SUPPORT & STREGTH TO RUN.
MILE #2: MY HONORED HEROES
MY MOTHER-IN-LAW, ANN/MY FRIEND,
MARIELLEN/MY COUSIN, DAVID
MILE #3: MY FAMILY-MOM, DAD, KATHIE,
EDWIN, & HEATHER
MILE #4: THE FUTURE MR & MRS
HIGBEE, COLIN & CHRISTA
MILE #5: BRIAN THOMAS
MILE #6: JEFF GRADY, GREG LONG,
& FRANK BEYRODT
MILE #7: CHRIS PADULA & STEPHEN
GRECO
MILE #8: SAL ARGANO
(THANKS FOR WORKING FRIDAYS &
SATURDAYS SO I COULD TRAIN)
MILE #9: THE 343 MEMBERS OF THE FDNY
LOST ON 9/11
MILE 10: MY DAUGHTERS ELLA (5/10/06) & ANDI (10/3/09)
MILE 11: THE 4 UNRECOGNIZED BY NYC
MEMBERS OF THE FDNY LOST ON 9/11
CAPT. JAMES CORRIGAN (RET.)
FF. PHILIP HAYES (RET)
FF. WILLIAM WREN (RET)
FIRE PATROLMEN KEITH ROMA
MILE 12: CHUCK ‘THE ICEMAN’ LIDDELL &
IAN SMITH
MILE 13: JERRI QUIBELL & LONG
ISLAND CHECKER CAB
THE LAST 10TH OF A MILE:
MYSELF and MY TEAM CHALLENGE COACHES & TEAMMATES
