inspiring

Showing 4 posts tagged inspiring

Meet Jon and Maddie. Jon is a junior with autism. Maddie is an amazing girl who asked him to prom and chose a dress in his favorite color. About a month ago, Maddie, a senior, came to my office (I’m a teacher at their school) and asked if Jon’s mom and I would allow her to take him to prom. Maddie had gotten to know Jon through a school club that promotes friendships between special needs kids and regular kids. “He’s a junior,” she explained “so it’s his prom too. I just think he should have the chance to go.” Read their touching story here, and do some miles for Autism Speaks!

Meet Jon and Maddie. Jon is a junior with autism. Maddie is an amazing girl who asked him to prom and chose a dress in his favorite color.

About a month ago, Maddie, a senior, came to my office (I’m a teacher at their school) and asked if Jon’s mom and I would allow her to take him to prom. Maddie had gotten to know Jon through a school club that promotes friendships between special needs kids and regular kids. “He’s a junior,” she explained “so it’s his prom too. I just think he should have the chance to go.”

Read their touching story here, and do some miles for Autism Speaks!

Talk about love in action. This man has raced with his disabled son in over 1,000 events.

“They said, ‘Forget Rick, put him away, put him in an institution, he’s going to be a vegetable for the rest of his life,’” recalled Rick’s father, Dick Hoyt, 72, noting that Rick was diagnosed with cerebral palsy after his birth. “Today he’s 51 years old and we still haven’t figured out what kind of vegetable he is — and guess what? That vegetable has been turned into a bronze statue.”

Wow. We’re inspired. Congrats to Dick and Rick for being honored at the Boston Marathon this year! They certainly deserve it.

(via Love in action: Dad, 72, races in nearly 1,100 events with disabled son)

Winter Vinecki lost her dad at age nine. She now runs for him, and aspires to be the youngest person to run a marathon on every continent. Can you say inspiring? At age 9, I completed my first Olympic-distance triathlon in less than four hours — a distance many said I was too young for. It would be the last race where my dad would ever meet me at the finish line. His death fueled my passion and determination in a way very few athletes might experience. Since losing my dad, I have become not only a two-time IronKids triathlon national champion but also an ambassador to the sport of triathlon. I love inspiring youth across America to live an active, positive and healthy lifestyle and to race not only for themselves but for a cause. Let’s wish Winter the best of luck on her races and travels! Read her incredible story here. (via Dad’s death fuel’s teens passion to race - CNN) High-res

Winter Vinecki lost her dad at age nine. She now runs for him, and aspires to be the youngest person to run a marathon on every continent. Can you say inspiring?

At age 9, I completed my first Olympic-distance triathlon in less than four hours — a distance many said I was too young for. It would be the last race where my dad would ever meet me at the finish line.

His death fueled my passion and determination in a way very few athletes might experience. Since losing my dad, I have become not only a two-time IronKids triathlon national champion but also an ambassador to the sport of triathlon. I love inspiring youth across America to live an active, positive and healthy lifestyle and to race not only for themselves but for a cause.

Let’s wish Winter the best of luck on her races and travels! Read her incredible story here.

(via Dad’s death fuel’s teens passion to race - CNN)

Every so often we stumble across a story of transform that blows us away. Such is the case with our latest Charity Miler of the Week: Andy Aubin!

According to Andy, he had always been a big guy. “It was just who I was,” he says. “I thought: this is the way it is, and this is the way it was meant to be.”

But it turns out that wasn’t the case.

When Andy had a daughter, his life changed. “It became not about me, and more about her,” he said. And part of that was getting healthy.

“I was at the point where I got winded walking up a flight of steps,” says Andy. He finally decided: “Enough is enough, this ends today.”

Andy knew that a diet overhaul alone wouldn’t do the trick — been there, done that. So he started a Couch to 5k program in tandem with using My Fitness Pal, a calorie and activity tracking app, to monitor his habits.

Small changes here and there led to a huge life overhaul, and in less than a year Andy was not only a runner, he was a good one. While stairs were once his enemy, he now tackles regular races — including half marathons. And he continues to surprise himself with the things (and distances) he can accomplish.

“Running constantly provides surprising results,” says Andy. “A year ago I was 330 lbs. and got winded walking up steps. A year to the day of that, I completed a half marathon. Everything is doable. It’s just a matter of going about it the right way and having faith in yourself.”

Andy also happens to be an avid Charity Miles user, and the brains (and brawn) behind the Chilly Cheeks Virtual 5k. While his goals were once driven by weight loss, he now has another purpose. 

“The whole running thing has been for me, and to benefit myself and my family,” says Andy. “With Charity Miles, I can still do that while at the same do something for someone else.”

We applaud Andy for his dedication to his family, his health, and being an all-around awesome guy. Let’s do our Charity Miles in honor of him this weekend. For as he says, “Why would you not take the opportunity to give something back? It doesn’t cost a dime, just your time and energy.”