Just keep running: Marathoner honors his mom in her race against Alzheimer’s
By Britt Leoni
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NAPLES, Florida (WBBH) — David Maksymetz has a love-hate relationship with running.
“Waking up this morning at 5:30 a.m. to put on my running shoes to go out for a run? Not so much. Training in August? Not so much,” said David. “What I do enjoy is my lower blood pressure, the days I do run I feel much more positive throughout the day.”
In the five years since starting the sport, he’s run four triathlons, five half marathons, and just last month, he completed his first full marathon. That one he ran one month before he turned 60.
“All the way up to about mile 18 I was like I could do this all day long! So that felt really, really good,” said David.
The endurance he’s found in each step towards his future is driven by fond memories of his past.
“She always sacrificed herself to make sure her kids did what they needed to do,” said David of his mom, Janet. “She always had us take a family vacation down to Florida.”
Eight years ago, David’s mom, Janet, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
“To see the change in someone you love, someone who had all the answers, to all the sudden starting to forget things and not remembering grandkids birthdays…you’d never wish that against your worst enemy,” said David.
Janet is no longer able to speak. Her reward for finishing the race of life is no longer in reach.
“When you have Alzheimer’s, you never cross the finish line,” said David. “You don’t get that Lay-Z Boy moment, when you get to sit back and say, gosh, what a wonderful life it’s been.”
Many races later, David’s raised more than fourteen thousand dollars for the Alzheimer’s Association.
The shirt he wears while running is inspired by Dory from Finding Nemo. He wore this shirt most recently running the Disney Princess 10k in Orlando.
“I thought, we’re going to cross that ‘Just keep swimming,’ to say ‘Just keep running,” said David.
With every stride, David keeps memories of his mom in mind as he crosses any finish line.
“I love you, mom,” David said. “Thank you.”
The Alzheimer’s Association offers a free, 24/7 helpline service to offer support for people living with dementia, caregivers, families, and the public. That number is (800) 272-3900.
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