Why I Run Far

Overwhelmed by depression after my Grandpa Charlie's debilitating stroke, I turned to alcohol and painkillers at age 16. I cut classes, got into fistfights, and was suspended from the tennis team.

The free-fall only stopped with the help of a daily running ritual and the meaningful community I found working on Moneythink, a youth-led volunteer project. Running and volunteering helped me overcome depression and alcohol abuse to finally get sober on December 29, 2011.

In the years since, I've kept running, kept volunteering, and kept smiling too.

I ran across America to pay it forward with Run Far Foundation. The money we raise together will provide youth with grassroots funding for impactful volunteer service and community-building opportunities.

Together, let's turn the tide on America's mental illness and addiction epidemics by investing in youth mental health.