This year, I’m running the Chicago Marathon in loving memory of my mom, Joyce Russell, our mom, our Meema, our heart.

Losing my mom to a sudden heart attack shattered our world. There was no warning, no time to prepare, just an unimaginable loss that changed our family forever. It’s the kind of loss that stays with you… in the quiet moments, in the milestones, and in all the moments you wish she were still here for.

My mom was everything to us. She was love, strength, and the steady presence you just assume will always be there. And to my kids, she wasn’t just Joyce, she was Meema. The kind of grandma who showed up, who loved deeply, and who made her family feel safe and whole.

Her life was defined by caring for others, by showing up, and by loving her family with everything she had. That’s her legacy and it’s one I carry with me every single day.

So I’m running 26.2 miles for her.

For the moments she should still be here for.
For my kids who miss their meema.
For the families who don’t know what’s coming.

I’m running in support of the American Heart Association to help fund research, raise awareness, and fight the kind of heart disease that took my mom from us far too soon.

If you’re able to donate, thank you, truely. You are helping turn heartbreak into purpose.

And if you can’t donate, I’ll carry your support with me every mille because this run is bigger than me.

It’s for my mom.
It’s for her legacy.
It’s for every heartbeat that deserves more time.