Callahan McGuinness, 2019 Boston Marathon runner
Running the Boston Marathon for Samaritans was truly the biggest honor of my life
Going into it, I knew the process would be challenging and would push me physically. What I didn’t expect was the emotional side of it this year.
This process gave me the courage to have some tough conversations and forced me to deal with some raw emotions. It brought wounds to the surface for me and my entire family. It was hard.
Some days were easier than others, but my family supported and encouraged me to become more vulnerable than I have ever been in sharing about Kev and our story of profound loss.
It gave me the opportunity to shed light on a topic that nobody should feel ashamed to talk about. It enabled me to do a very small part in normalizing the conversation around mental health and suicide.
All in all, it not only gave me the opportunity to honor my brother, but it also gave me the push I needed to take the next step in my own grieving, because it’s a lifelong battle. The pain never goes away.
Thank you for giving me this opportunity, this honor, and enabling me to find some sort of meaning out of Kevin’s death. I look forward to continuing to support all that Samaritans does. Who knows, maybe you’ll see my name in the application pool again next year! Thanks again for helping me find my voice!
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Nothing short of amazing, Callahan raised more than $30,000 for the 2019 Samaritans Boston Marathon team. Watch for news coming soon about applying to run on the 2020 Samaritans Boston Marathon team!
