It's no secret that my younger brother, Samuiel, was my very best friend.
He was born 2 years, 2 months, and 6 days after me and I think everyone in my family would argue that he was the best thing to happen to us (though...I might have argued the alternative when I was a kid).
We talked almost every single day for the last 10+ years. He was with me for my ugliest break-ups, moves from Amarillo to Canyon to Lubbock to Indianapolis to Mississippi back to Texas (for a bit) and up to Boston. Though he NEVER came and visited, we stayed as close as siblings can. Every Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, and random trip back to Texas, we went out of our ways to spend time with each other.
I last saw my brother on October 17, 2024. I last spoke to my brother on June 24, 2025. I got the call about his untimely passing on Saturday, June 28, 2025 in the middle of a run. I've never been more brokenhearted in my entire life.
In the weeks and months after his death, we found out that he lost his life to hypotensive heart disease. There's not a single day that goes by that my mom and I don't think about how much we love him and miss him.
The American Heart Association is the only charity I reached out to when signing up to run the Chicago Marathon. I know there are a ton of worthy, charitable, and giving organizations around the country who have ties to the various races across the country, but I've never had a personal reason to support an organization doing work that now resonates and connects with me and my family. I'm excited to be fundraising on behalf of the American Heart Association for the 2026 Chicago Marathon.
