This past summer, I witnessed a man die by suicide. Despite my best efforts to revive him, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased shortly after first responders arrived on scene.

Heartbreakingly, I was not driving under the Sagamore Bridge so I could stop nor revive that man; however, I have remained steadfast in my belief that I was there for a reason. After much deep consideration, I have come to understand that I was there to be inspired to raise awareness for suicide prevention and stigmas that surround mental health. I want to contribute to eradicating suicide and self-harm from our local community and in my different spheres of influence. I am deeply sincere and committed to these ideas. It feels like a matter of life and death. And through my personal experience, I have learned that it most certainly is.

I am incredibly humbled to start this journey as a member of the  Samaritans Team. I have been selected to represent their cause for the 127th running of the Boston Marathon. On Monday, April 17th, I will run 26.2 miles for hope - for hope that one day we will see the end of this terrible and final form of despair. Samaritans is a 501-C-3 non-profit organization, who relies on generous donations to continue their mission and reach those who are most in need. As a member of the Samaritans Team, I've pledged to raise at least $10,000 between today and Patriot's Day. If you are able and willing, I would ask that you please consider donating any amount of money that you can - no matter how big or small. I can assure you that every last dollar will go towards eradicating this horrible epidemic for our community. I am personally committed to donating $2 for every mile that I run from today until I cross the finish line on Boylston Street.

If you’d like to learn more about Samaritans before donating, please visit samaritanshope.org, where you’ll find the answers to all of your questions. Please feel free to also reach out to me directly, and I’ll be happy to answer any and all questions.

I'll be documenting each training session from today until race day on my new Instagram page (@mickrunsforhope). Also, click this link to access a spreadsheet that will count all of my total mileage and a few other stats over the next few months! I hope these are fun ways to keep everyone in the loop and also hold myself accountable!

Thank you all for being a part of my life. Sincerely, thank you so much, and I look forward to making a difference together. 

Take care of yourselves, you deserve it!

With love, admiration, respect, and grief,
Mick