Sixteen years ago, my precious baby boy who would become my hero came into the world and made an indelible mark in the lives of everyone his radiant life touched.  Not every mother can say their child is their hero.  I can sincerely say that my son Fisher, who persevered through more suffering than anyone I know with a million watt smile on his face and a grateful heart, was without a doubt filled with sheer determination and will to live.  In fact, his nickname was “The Big Fish” in part for his fight which in a family of anglers meant he was a Big Fish.  Fisher was diagnosed in the hours after his birth with a severe congenital heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.  Despite undergoing the 3 stages of palliative surgeries for HLHS and being the recipient of a donor heart through the gift of transplantation, Fisher succumbed to his lifelong battle with congenital heart disease shortly after his 4^th birthday.  Having formerly worked in scientific medical research myself, I found Children’s Heart Foundation and their foremost position among nonprofit charitable organizations for funding research for pediatric congenital heart disease to be a beacon of hope for Fisher and all our little heart warriors facing hard battles.  I carry Fisher in my heart always and with every step I take his legacy moves forward with me.  I feel a very deep responsibility to not only run for myself but also for Fisher and others like him who have not been blessed by the wellness of body and soul that I currently experience.  To mark the occasion of Fisher’s 16^th birthday and my 50^th birthday, it will be my great privilege and honor to represent our heart family at the 50^th anniversary of the New York City Marathon on November 1, 2026.  We will arrive in New York on the anniversary of Fisher’s passing into eternal healing.  I appreciate your support of this organization which provides hope for children like Fisher and their families.