In 2006, years before we met, my close friend Jackie's mother unexpectedly suffered a tragic brain aneurysm. One that would permanently steal the vibrancy of her life away from her and leave the loving family she cared for grappling with a new reality.
Although I will never get the privilege of meeting Jackie's mom Diane, as she once was, I do know that through Jackie I have met some of the most exceptional parts of her. Because to know Jackie is to know, that there is a level of truehearted character that one is not born but profoundly raised with.
For this, it is my honor to be fundraising with TeamBAF in the name of Diane Stackhouse as I prepare to run my first Falmouth Road race this August 2019. Please consider donating to my page to help folks like Diane and their families that are affected by brain aneurysms.
Any bit counts and all is GREATLY appreciated! THANK YOU.
More from Jackie, on her personal story:
"On November 21st, 2006, my beautiful, amazing, strong, talented mother suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm while driving home from picking up our Thanksgiving turkey from a local farm. I was 16 years old, and was annoyed at her for not answering her cell phone after I called her repeatedly to come pick me up from cheerleading practice after school that ended early. Over a blurry next few hours, I would find out from my high school principal that my mother wasn't answering her phone because she had been in "an accident," and that my uncle would be coming to pick me up instead to take me to the hospital where her, my dad, and the rest of our family had already gathered...
My mom spent 8 hours in surgery as we all anxiously sat in the waiting room, until finally the doctor came out to tell us that while she was alive, she would probably never recover from the extensive injuries she suffered. We were devasted, confused, hurt, and scared. As an only-child, my mom and I were extremely close, and I couldn't imagine life without her.
Over the next 13 years, we discovered that those doctor's words rang true - my mother is alive, but she isn't really living. Completely paralyzed, non-verbal, and seemingly in a daze the majority of the time, my beautiful, amazing, strong, and talented mother has never recovered from this traumatic event. A woman who gave way more than she took, whose kindness radiated from her like sunlight, and whose worst nightmare would be having to sit still for the rest of her life is now confined to doing so because of this medical event.
As we look back, my father and I reflect on how we wish we knew early warning signs, preventative methods, or early detection practices that could have prevented this horrible tragedy from happening. As a small gesture of hope and action, I have decided to run the legendary Falmouth Road Race on TeamBAF - the raise money for the Brain Aneurysm Foundation. With the proceeds raised, BAF can use funds to create educational materials, trainings, etc. to spread awareness about brain aneurysms, prevention, warning signs, and more. It is my hope (with your help) that we can have some small impact to help folks learn about this information so that other families will not have to go through what my family and I have. Thank you for considering donating to this cause!"
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The New Balance Falmouth Road Race celebrates its 47th running this year and the spirit which made the first Falmouth so special is still present today. More than 11,000 runners will gather in Woods Hole for the 2019 race, including many of the world's elite, though the essence of the event remains a fun run. Back-of-the-pack joggers share the road with the best, forming a tapestry of colors from the start on Water Street to the finish at the beach in Falmouth Heights. Sponsored by New Balance, the race is one of the showcase events in distance running and woven into the fabric of summer on Cape Cod, like Fourth of July fireworks and Labor Day weekend cookouts. "The little race that could" belongs to Falmouth. It was first held on a Wednesday afternoon because it was our founder Tommy Leonard's birthday. It is seven miles simply because that was the distance from the Captain Kidd in Woods Hole to Tommy's workplace, The Brothers Four, in Falmouth Heights.
