Much More Than a Walk

As I drove to Johnson park on May 19, I thought about how blessed we are that we have people talented enough to figure out how to encourage 2,000 people to come out and support us and our kids. When I pulled in, I parked next to a car full of people with white t-shirts which said on the front 'miracles happen’ and the back ‘Team Ariana,’ for our own Ariana McQuire, CMNH Miracle Child. As I walked to the "gathering place", I was overwhelmed by the huge crowd of PSEG employee's. The chair of the team had made a personal commitment that she wanted this to be their best year ever and they won in 2 categories, largest corporate team and most money raised. They were so proud of themselves and their smiles could have lit up the park at night.

While I had met Coach Stringer before, I never had the chance to really talk to her. To share how important it is for us to be able to celebrate the success of our children and continue to raise funds that are so important for our continued success. She saw the commitment and excitement that people had to be there but more importantly, the love we have for each other and our children.

Over and over again I saw children who had been with us as inpatients, now home with their families, continuing to thrive and accomplish things that I couldn't have imagined when they arrived on ventilators and so frail. To watch them run around and be defiant of their parents made me laugh out loud at how "success" is seen differently based upon where you sit!

Then I saw many of you. Coming with your spouses, your children and even, your dogs! Joanne Hunt won for the most money raised by an individual and it helped put Team Mountainside over the top. But team New Brunswick had the largest number of members, taking that honor!

You gave of yourselves again, as you do each and every day.

So I offer this with my deepest thanks. I would love for those of you who were at this walk, or past walks, to share what was notable to you.

For me, it is the chance to have a little less formality and to see each other with a "humanness" that sometimes gets lost in our day to day work.