Kelly Dolan is running Boston for the Officer Sean Collier Memorial Fund
"This year is the 10th memorial marathon since the bombings occurred and Sean was killed. We remain Boston Strong to this day."
In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon runners share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston.
Name: Kelly Dolan
Age: 48
From: Salem, N.H.
This year, I will be running my third Boston Marathon. Living in Massachusetts most of my life, and now in Southern New Hampshire, the Boston Marathon has always been a very historic and amazing event for me. From watching it on TV to running it for the first time in 2019, I’m always in awe of the strength of the people on that course.
This year, I am fundraising for the Officer Sean Collier Memorial Fund and running to honor Sean Collier’s memory. This Fund is very near and dear to my heart. Sean is the MIT police officer who was killed following the Boston Marathon bombings. I’ve been running with the team since 2019 and now volunteer with the fund year-round. I am the wife of a chief of police and understand the risk these men and women take every day on the job. Sean tragically lost his life in 2013. He was sitting alone in his police car, on duty, when the tragic events occurred.
Most of us who live in New England remember these events and where we were when they occurred. So many people in our community were affected by what went on in Boston during that time. This year is the 10th memorial marathon since the bombings occurred and Sean was killed. We remain Boston Strong to this day. My hope is to keep Sean’s memory alive, share his story, and do good things in the community in his memory.
The Collier fund helps to foster relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve. We give back with things like scholarships, swimming lessons to kids in Lowell, a boxing ring and weights for the Lowell Police Youth Services Boxing Program, and a donation to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem, along with so many other wonderful donations over the years. Not only do I get to run this amazing, historic event, but I get to do it for a very meaningful cause and keep Sean Collier’s memory alive.
Editor’s note: Entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.
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