Why I’m Running: ‘I am following in my mom’s footsteps’
Bray is raising funds for Massachusetts General Hospital.
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: Julianna Bray
Age: 23
From: Boston
I am following in my mom’s footsteps and running in memory of her brother and my uncle, Andrew Pywell. Andrew was a patient at MGH for five years for a form of pediatric brain cancer that was rare in adults. During his treatments his spirit and strength never faltered, which inspired my mother to run Boston for him in 2013. Andrew lost his battle only five days before the race in 2013.
Drawing upon that inspiration, she still was able to run the race as best as she could. After enduring the loss of her brother and then the horrific events that occurred on Patriots’ Day in 2013, she still came back the next year to run the marathon on the Pediatric Brain Cancer team in memory of her little brother Andrew.
I will also be running in honor of my dad, who has been fighting metastatic throat cancer since 2016. His strength throughout all of the treatments he has gone through throughout the past eight years has taught me strength and resilience. MGH has been such an important place in my family’s life and I take pride in running for such an amazing place.
Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.
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