A year ago, Larissa was fighting for her life. This fall, she crossed the finish line of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon with her husband, Tim, and daughter, Margaret, stronger than ever.

For the Fain family, running with Team Red Cross wasn’t just about miles. It was about recovery, resilience and giving back.

After being hospitalized with congestive heart failure in December 2023, Larissa made a vow: “I have more to do.” With the support of her cardiologists and family, she began her recovery and set her sights on something bold: running her first marathon.

Tim, a Navy veteran and longtime blood donor, returned to the marathon after a 30-year hiatus with another purpose in mind. “The Red Cross was there for my shipmate in his hardest moment,” he said. “This is my way of paying it forward.”

Margaret, a health care professional, sees the impact of blood donations every day. Running with her parents was a moment of pride and a way to celebrate what they’ve overcome together.

This year’s race may be over, but you can still make a difference. Add running for a good cause to your 2026 goals. Join Team Red Cross for next year’s Chicago Marathon and run with purpose — just like the Fain family.

For Jackie Speciale, running the TCS New York City Marathon wasn’t just about crossing the finish line—it was about pushing her limits, honoring her family’s legacy of service, and raising money to help others in their darkest moments.

“I ran my first marathon in New York last month," she said. "I was inspired by my oldest son who is deployed overseas with the Army National Guard, facing his own challenges and dangers. On hard days, I pushed myself knowing that if my son can do something brave and challenging, so can I.”

For 13 years, Jackie has traveled locally and across the country to support people impacted by disasters, such as tornadoes, floods, home fires, wildfires, and more. With the Red Cross, she’s shown up to provide a listening ear, lend a helping hand, and let people know they’re not alone.

“I just enjoy being able to help people when they need it most. Serving others is rooted in my family, and my children have grown up to become Red Cross volunteers themselves. My oldest responded to fires and hosted blood drives before he decided to serve his country.”

Jackie not only completed her first marathon but exceeded her goal, raising over $13,200 to support our mission. Her story is a testament to courage, dedication, and the power of giving back.

Each October, thousands of runners from across the globe flock to Chicago for the annual Bank of America Chicago Marathon. In 2023, 165 of those runners were on Team Red Cross, including Nate Kahaialii, a Lahaina, Maui native who persevered in running the marathon for his community even after the devastating wildfires destroyed his home in August.  

“It was August 8th and a police officer comes in on a megaphone and said we had to evacuate,” Nate said.

“My heart just sank in that moment because it was like ‘shoot, this is happening.’ Nothing prepares you for that. We did not know how bad it was, but we could see smoke developing, but eventually it just took out the whole town. It is just so unrecognizable.”

Nate said that when the fires happened and he realized he was running for the Red Cross, it made it that much more meaningful. The Red Cross helped his family find temporary housing so that they were safe and provided meals every day, which was crucial following the wildfires.

“The big thing that’s been said lot in terms of recovery of Lahaina is that it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon,” Nate said. “We’re going to get through this marathon of recovery and rebuild and it’s going to take a long time but we’re going to get there and get to that finish line we just got to keep working hard and not give up.”