I didn’t know the way badly I wished a 3rd youngster till my spouse, Shauna, informed me she was pregnant. When Duncan was born in September 2016, our different youngsters, James, 8, and Lia, 5, adored him immediately, and life felt magical.
However when Duncan was simply three months outdated, he developed a low-grade fever after which a spot on his leg. Inside 24 hours, he was admitted to the hospital and identified with acute myeloid leukemia. We had been terrified, however hopeful. After two rounds of chemotherapy, Duncan, stuffed with smiles and energy, headed house, however relapsed 5 weeks later. On October 16, at simply 13 months outdated, he handed away.
The primary month with out Duncan remains to be a blur. The ache of dropping your youngster is all the things you suppose it’s, multiplied by 1,000,000. Shauna and I had been fully destroyed. We had been lucky to be surrounded by family and friends who introduced us meals and helped with the youngsters, however the grief was unwavering.
Courtesy of SEAN O’MALLEY
Then two of my greatest mates texted me to ask me on a hike. I wasn’t a hiker and don’t know what compelled me, however I agreed with one stipulation: Make it tough and get me to the best level you may. I wished it to harm, and it did, however it’s the primary time I observed that I felt higher being outdoors.
The half-marathon invitation
I struggled for a number of weeks, particularly because the world appeared to maneuver on for everybody else however us. Then one other buddy texted that he was signing up for a half-marathon. Would I be a part of him? I hadn’t run in years, however discovered a coaching schedule in a operating e book, and caught with it.
