Help Peter raise money

I've done many things to honor my wife, Laura Levis, since she died from a devastating asthma attack five years ago at age 34. But I've never run a road race in her name, which is surprising because I really love running. 

When the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, New England Chapter asked me to captain its very first Falmouth Road Race team, I quickly said yes. 

This disease is so misunderstood, and so potentially deadly, and one day a cure has to be found. For every 13 people you know, statistically, one has asthma -- it's that prevalent. I wish Laura and I had known more about asthma beyond just having an inhaler. If we had, she might still be alive.

Since her death in 2016 I've tried very hard to educate -- did you know that more people have asthma attacks during the third week in September than any other week?  It's called "Asthma Peak Week," and it's exactly when Laura had hers. Please spread the word.

I've tried as well to initiate important changes so that no one else will die as tragically as my wife did. “Losing Laura,” the Boston Globe story I wrote about how Laura succumbed to an asthma attack just steps from an emergency-room door, will make you feel utterly destroyed.  "Laura's Law," which as of June will create first-time hospital standards for emergency-room signage, lighting, navigation and the security monitoring of entrances, will give you hope.

As will this road race for me. 

Instead of focusing on the tragic, I have a chance to celebrate Laura's love of exercise and her mantra of living life to the fullest by doing something that brings me joy. By feeling the ocean wind in my face, and the pavement on my heels. By cheering on my AAFA New England teammates Alicia, Laurel, Patty and Sara -- whom I'm pretty sure will smoke me. All with Laura's name proudly on my singlet, and with her, as always, in my heart.