I am honored to be a member of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 2026 Stepping Strong Marathon Team.  I believe in its mission of compassionate care, professionalism, and ensuring access to quality health care for all.  I am proud to support this vision by running the Boston Marathon and fundraising to help continue this important work.

As a retired First Responder with the Los Angeles Police Department for 32 years, I was directly involved in responding to and investigating traumatic events, violent crimes, traffic accidents where treatment and aftercare were a priority.  I’ve spent many hours in emergency rooms where victims, suspects, and law enforcement receive medical care.  

In recent years, I have continued my mission of service as a founder and volunteer handler in a therapy dog organization that supports Police, Fire, and the Emergency Medical Community.  We offer support during critical incidents, civil unrest, and line-of-duty deaths. . 

Supporting the Stepping Strong Center feels like a natural extension of my lifelong commitment to care, recovery, and community. I am honored to run the Boston Marathon in support of this organization’s extraordinary mission.

On April 15, 2013, Gillian Reny's life was changed forever. A senseless act of violence left her with traumatic injuries, but the efforts of a multidisciplinary medical team at Brigham and Women's Hospital saved her life and legs. In gratitude, her family established The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation at the Brigham, where today, Gillian's strength drives a relentless pursuit to transform how we prevent, treat, and recover from traumatic injury, the leading cause of death for people ages 44 and younger in the United States. 

The Stepping Strong Center unites healthcare professionals, policymakers, and community members to revolutionize trauma care and rebuild lives. Here's how:

• Fuel Research: We support clinical studies and collaborative projects that accelerate solutions and improve trauma patient outcomes 

• Reimagine Care: We embrace the latest research to redefine best practices and transform trauma care for survivors

• Advance Education: We train the next generation of trauma leaders and empower the public to respond to trauma 

• Inspire Advocacy: We champion trauma survivors and injury prevention by raising awareness, supporting policy initiatives, and improving public safety

When you support a member of the Stepping Strong Boston Marathon Team, you're helping us turn tragedy into hope for civilian and military heroes who have suffered devastating traumatic injuries. As a solely philanthropically funded center, we depend on generous donations like yours to sustain our life-changing programs and initiatives.