Help Linden raise money

Why I'm running is still the same as last year's. Unfortunately, due to a knee injury, I never completed the previous year's race. I'm coming in stronger and more determined than ever for this year's race.

So I lost two special people in 2022: my grandma to dementia and someone I loved as much as my mom to cancer.

During the last decade, my grandma suffered multiple strokes, which led to stroke-related dementia and her unfortunate passing earlier this year. Due to the internal conflict in Myanmar (Burma), it would not be safe for my family to visit the country. I had to witness my mom feel helpless for weeks as she could not be beside my grandma in her final moments. Growing up, my mom worked extra hours to send more money back to my grandma because that's all she could do to repay her for raising herself and her other eight siblings alone after my grandpa passed away when my mom was young. There were many instances when my grandma barely had enough to feed my mom and her eight siblings, but my grandma always persevered. My mom taught me how to show up, and through all the stories she told me about my grandma, I realized she got that from her. 

I was shocked to learn this person had cancer, but when I found out, I was optimistic she would fully recover. I remember how she could not pronounce my name correctly, so she called me Lincoln instead of Linden, and crazy enough, that name has a special meaning to me now. Whenever I visited her house, she would cut up some fruit for me, and I remember having guava the most. Although English was not her first language, she always tried her best to speak with me, checking in to make sure my parents were doing alright. I felt so guilty when I learned she had passed away. I wish I had the opportunity to support in the ways I knew I could. Never in an eternity did I think that she would be meeting my parents for the first time at her funeral. She never failed to provide motherly love to me, and I am forever grateful to her.

I dedicate my first-ever marathon as a charity runner to pay my respects to both people. My goal is to finish the race somewhere between 4-4.5 hours. I'll start the donations by putting in $500 on their behalf to reach my $1000 target. Thank you for taking the time to read this and it would mean a lot to me if you could donate or share this with friends and family.