The Barrows Family Story

On Sunday, November 6, I'm proud to be running as part of Team ALS TDI for the upcoming TCS New York City Marathon. ALS killed two members of my family. I am raising money for the ALS Therapy Development Institute, which researches and develops promising treatments, in the  hopes that any money I raise will lead to less suffering and greater quality of life for those diagnosed with ALS.

My experience with ALS began when I was in 5th grade. My grandmother, Barbara Barrows, was diagnosed with ALS and died the summer before I entered 6th grade. Born and raised in Vermont, my grandma was an excellent golfer and never left the house looking anything less than very fashionable.

My uncle, Steve Barrows, died from ALS in the fall of 2021. He was the youngest of three and had suffered the death of his wife a few months prior. He loved music and spent much of his adult life working part-time as a DJ. Having no children of his own, he was always kind and generous to all the "kids" in the family.

My journey as a runner began in high school. I started out as a shy 15-year-old with a pair of tennis sneakers, Soffe shorts, and a half-broken discman who could hardly run a mile without stopping. Over the years, I evolved into a middle and long distance runner. This will be my fourth marathon, but the first time I am running for something more than myself. 

I am very grateful to have the opportunity to raise money and run to honor the memories of my grandmother and uncle. More importantly, I am running to raise money for the future of this disease. It is highly likely that more members of the Barrows family tree will be impacted by ALS - my dad, aunt sister, cousins, sister's child, or even myself. We want nothing more than to see an end to this terrible disease.