Running in Honor of My Dad

Hi! I’m Juliana, and in November 2026, I’ll be running the TCS New York City Marathon with Team Heart & Stroke in support of the American Heart Association. This race is more than a bucket-list goal — it’s deeply personal.

In 2024, my father, Gene, passed away suddenly from a heart attack at just 63 years old. His mother also died of a heart attack at a young age, and my father-in-law survived one at 39. Heart disease is not abstract to me — it has deeply shaped my family’s story.

The morning my parents were supposed to leave for a long-awaited trip to Italy, my dad began experiencing symptoms. He went to urgent care and was sent home. Hours later, he collapsed in our home and passed away. My sister and I received the phone call no child is ever prepared for.

My dad was my role model and my biggest cheerleader. I followed in his footsteps and became a CPA because I wanted to make him proud. He was disciplined, hardworking, and deeply committed to his family. A proud New Yorker, he loved Marathon Sunday and constantly asked me when I was finally going to run the NYC Marathon. I always said “later” — after the CPA exams, after my wedding, after building my career, after having kids. There was always something that felt more urgent.

Now I know that “later” isn’t promised.

I’m running the NYC Marathon with Team Heart & Stroke in his honor — and in his name. As a mother of two young children, this loss has reshaped how I think about prevention, heart health, and the example I set for them. I’m turning grief into purpose by raising funds for the American Heart Association’s lifesaving research and education.

This race is more than 26.2 miles. It’s a promise to my dad — and a commitment to help prevent other families from receiving the kind of phone call that changed mine forever.

If you’re able, please consider supporting my run and this critical cause.