Countdown to Boston: It's simple - be good to each other

I shared the compelling story of Bill McCabe and the Ironwill Challenge in January. This weekend, NECN featured an interview with Bill and Marc:



And McCabe says he's learned important life lessons from helping his friend.

"People helping people - some people make it complicated, but it's not, its very simple," he said. "If people were good to each other, this stuff wouldn't happen, and it's so simple to be good to each other."

You can donate to Bill's 2620 Miles for Marc on his GoFundMe page.

Today closing arguments are being held at the Federal Courthouse for the trial of the man accused of the Boston Marathon bombing and then the jury goes into deliberations.

This evening, I am attending the launch of the Arredondo Family Foundation which I will feature in Friday's blog.

There is so much goodness and kindness that has been borne out of the destructive acts of two men. People who might not have otherwise met are now closer than family. As individuals and as a community we have all learned the meaning of Boston Strong. People are running Boston with more passion and to raise money for causes near and dear to their heart. Here are a few of the people I highlighted in my Fundraising Friday feature:

Marc Fucarile also has a RE'MARC'ABLE Marathon Team running to raise money for his ongoing medical care. Grab a cup of tea and read all about these amazing individuals running either the BAA 5K or the full marathon, and be sure to donate to the Team via their Marc Strong page.

Brittney Castine decided to take on the Boston Marathon and run as part of Dana Farber's Marathon Challenge Team 2015 in honor of her beloved grandfather. You can help her reach her fundraising goal by donating to her fundraising page.

Brian Simons (aka Brian Siborg on Facebook) is getting closer to his $5,000 goal for a cause near and dear to my heart, Spaulding Rehab Hospital. He is a physical therapist at Spaulding and knows first hand the challenges that patients face every day. In their honor, he is raising funds for Spaulding and you can support him by donating to his run via this link.


Kaitlyn Greeley is slowly climbing her way to the top of her fundraising goal as she counts down the days to Boston but needs your help hitting goal before she toes the line in Hopkinton. She is running for the Liver Foundation. As a physician assistant in training, she knows first hand the devastating effects of liver disease and every dollar she raises will fund needed research, patient education and treatment.

Lindsay Dahlben's sister is in the marathon of her life as she undergoes treatment for stage IV stomach cancer. Lindsay is running for the non profit Debbie's Dream Foundation which has provided her sister living in Israel with much needed support while she undergoes treatment. Debbie's Dream Foundation is dedicated to raising awareness about stomach cancer, funding research, and providing support internationally to patients and their families. Lindsay will carry her sister with her in her heart from Hopkinton to Boston. Let's support her in reaching her goal by donating to her fundraising page.

Nohely Chavira-Williams is running for Boston Strong Survivors. She dreamed of one day running the Boston Marathon and her one day is happening in two weeks. You can read about how this all came about for her in her Fundraising Friday Feature. All the money she raises will be used to support Boston Strong Survivors and you can donate to her Fundraising Page.

On 4/15/13, for a brief moment, there was a cloud of darkness that hung over our beautiful city. And now as we countdown to Boston 2015, that cloud has dissipated and only light and love remain. As my friend Bill McCabe said, it's simple and we have found ways to be good to each other, to love and support each other, to run stronger than ever to show the world what we are all about.

It's 1 week, 6 days, 21 hours, 50 minutes and 50 seconds and counting until we run as one!



Journey well!


My latest book, "Journey Well" is now available on Amazon along with all of my inspirational books. 50% of book proceeds are donated to the Massachusetts Resiliency Center, a safe, welcoming space for survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing to heal and stay in touch with one another; a virtual hub for a widely dispersed community whose lives have been impacted by the tragic events of April 15th and the events that followed.

When terror struck the world's oldest and most beloved marathon on April 15, 2013, it was a defining moment in Mary McManus’ life and the lives of all those in Boston and around the world. It was her wake up call to return to the sport and community that have been medicine and a lifeline for her throughout her marathon of healing the late effects of paralytic polio and experiencing 9 years of domestic violence as a child and adolescent. Mary captures the essence of Boston Strong through her experience of the 2014 Boston Marathon and as she profiles the people who are Boston Stronger. Through her blog posts, poems and journal entries woven together with excerpts from her memoir, “Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility,” you will experience, through one woman’s journey of transformation and healing, that no matter what happens to us, we can all learn to journey well.