For those unfamiliar with the background to it.. here is why I am running, or, more importantly, who I am running for.
In the summer of 2000 I was an adventure camp counselor at Camp Roanoke in Salem, VA. I had a different group of campers each week, and of the 200+ kids I interacted with that summer, I could probably tell you the names of about 20 of them. One of those names and faces that stuck in my mind long after camp ended was Morgan Harrington. Why did she stand out? Well - she was the youngest of all of our campers that week. She was tiny and absolutely darling - inside and out. She was just an energetic, happy, free-spirited young lady with a ton of determination and spunk. Nothing we threw at her that week phased her. She climbed like a pro during rock climbing at Bozoo. She paddled mile after mile while chattering away and making everyone laugh. She barely voiced a negative word the entire week - even when things went wrong - like the earwigs overtaking her tent & all of her belongings while camping at Bozoo, or when my coworker locked the keys in the van and we were left standing around waiting for what seemed like an eternity until he was finally able to get into the van and get us back to camp. She was always positive, always encouraging her fellow campers, and always seemed so grown up with all of her answers. She was mature beyond her years - yet had the sweet, sensitive side that was always ready to give a hug. I loved her dearly and am so thankful for some short video clips and pictures from that week to remind me of what she was like as an 11 year old child.
Why? Because in October 2009, I was walking through our house in NYC when I heard the name Morgan Harrington come across a news broadcast. I stopped, asked my husband what was being said, and told him I'd had a camper named Morgan Harrington. He said "some girl from VA Tech went missing from a Metallica concert." I stopped. Stared at the TV and prayed to God it was not her. Then they showed a picture of Morgan. It was 10 years older than the face I remembered, but I knew in an instant it was her. I grabbed my photo album from camp, turned to the pages from her week of camp, and showed it to my husband. It was her. There was no doubt. I was stunned. I prayed and wondered for days. I grieved, not knowing what was coming and afraid to find out. I searched for news and information for weeks - hoping upon hope I'd hear she'd been found and was fine. Sometime around the end of November reality set in. I didn't want to give up hope, but I knew, just knew, Morgan was never coming back. I knew she was gone. But I didn't want to believe it. I sent a message to her brother, who'd also been one of my campers that same week at camp, and sent a message to Morgan's Facebook page - kind of as a way to put into words what I was praying. I knew in January when my sister called to tell me they'd found a body on Anchorage Farms that it was her. They weren't saying much at the time, but I knew. I grieved again. Wave after wave of grief. HOW? WHY? What did the poor girl go through? Why would someone be so cruel? This child had SO MUCH to give this world. Such a personality. Such a strong, stubborn determination. Such an intense desire to be somebody and do something big to make the world a better place. She was the kid every mom dreamed of having. How could she possibly be gone??
I remember we were hit with a snowstorm just before her funeral and I was unable to go. I sent a sympathy card to her parents but it felt so inadequate. I connected with others who were also grieving her death and looking for ways to help. I did everything I possibly could to help find her killer. His police profile picture was seared into my brain. I circulated it whenever and wherever I could. And I did what I always do when I can't put my thoughts into words or even get them sorted out in my mind - I ran.
In September 2014, I went to Lake Tahoe and paddled - for Morgan. In April, I will be going to Roanoke - to run - for Morgan. In October I will be going back to Tahoe - to run and paddle - for Morgan. I cannot imagine what Dan & Gil Harrington have gone through in the past 5+ years. I cannot imagine what the families of Hannah Graham, Alexis Murphy or others have gone through or are continuing to endure. All I know is that I want to do all I can to help keep my own girls and every other girl safe. So I am running for Help Save the Next Girl. Morgan's mom Gil founded the organization shortly after Morgan's death. Though my contact with Gil has been limited, I know how passionate she is about helping other families going through similar ordeals as she has been through. I know how passionate she is about keeping other girls safe from violent predators. I may have been unable to help Morgan, but I can help Gil in her mission. As I run I will be carrying the names of Morgan, Hannah, Alexis and others with me. I will keep telling their stories and sharing about their lives. I will be telling everyone I can about Help Save the Next Girl. I will be asking for people to sponsor me and donate to Help Save the Next Girl so they can keep moving forward and expanding. And every time I will be hearing Morgan's sweet little voice from my camp video and remembering WHY I am doing this.
So I hope you have a better understanding of my journey and will keep venturing down this road with me. If anyone wants to join in for one of the runs or the kayak race, I'd love to have the company. We have an awesome team heading to Tahoe and I know there are a ton of supporters who will be at the Roanoke race. Blue Ridge Marathon has a ton of promo codes and discounts coming up for the races - and I will be sharing them right here on my blog. As I begin the training stage in the coming days I will share the ups and downs, the struggles and triumphs, and what's being done to support HSTNG - and what you can do to help.
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