Today is a very emotional day for the Middlemiss Family. It is the one year anniversary of when their son Jack had a heart transplant. It also marks the day when a family lost their child and in an act of kindness that defies description, donated their child's heart.
Scott, Kate, Jack and Grace set up camp at the Johnny Kelley statue to cheer on Team Big Heart and other Boston Marathon charity runners who are training for the Boston Marathon. Those runners are running with all their heart, to raise money and awareness for causes near and dear to their hearts like the Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation. Jack's older brother Joey died on September 23, 2013 from cardiomyopathy; Jack was also diagnosed with cardiomyopathy.
From their website:
Joseph's parents, Scott and Kate Middlemiss, have created this foundation to honor their beautiful son by continuing the kindness and love that Joey shined on everyone.
The Foundations 3 Main Objectives:
To expand "The Joseph Middlemiss All You Need is Love Mission," fostering the spread and documentation of Random Acts of Kindness on local, national and international fronts.
To educate children on the power of kindness by supporting the efforts of schools (creating and leading motivational assemblies, providing books and related resources, buddy benches and kindness libraries), and empowering students through scholarships for music and martial arts.
To contribute to research for and spread awareness of childhood heart conditions while providing financial, social and emotional assistance to families impacted by these (pizza parties, brunches and patient and parent care bags on the 8th floor at Boston Children's Hospital).
This morning, after our morning meditation and deciding on where we would run today, I said to Tom, "Gee I wonder where the Middlemiss family will be setting up their aid station today."
When I logged onto Facebook there was a post tagged onto a member of Team Big Heart, Andrea Ketcham Walsh's post about today's run from Kate. "Mary McManus, I know you often ask where we will be. Today we will be at the Johnny Kelley statue."
Perfect! We knew our out and back route would be from Johnny's statue.
It was a beautiful late winter's day with the sun shining and little wind.
What a special day to celebrate Jack's heart-i-versary with the Middlemiss Family.
A message from Kate via Facebook:
An extra special morning cheering on all the Boston Marathon training runners along Commonwealth Ave. So many of these runners have special stories of their own (some we heard about today) and run for truly remarkable reasons. They get out of bed and RUN because they CAN and often for a cause they hold close to their hearts. It’s simply amazing to witness the determination and sheer grit of so many who travel this course in preparation for the greatest marathon of all. We are humbled to play a a small role in this journey by providing refreshments, music, and cute antics from the best cheerleaders around. I’m proud to have my children witness the dedication of all these runners! It’s an amazing sight to witness hundreds cross by us on Saturday mornings! Today was extra special because it’s the one year anniversary of Jack’s heart transplant. While this little boy isn’t training for a marathon, he has exhibited similar “marathon finisher” strength and determination over the past year. He’s been through a lot yet continues to live, smile, dance, and LOVE thanks to the most selfless gift of all from another family during their darkest hour. I’m so glad he was able to be out there today and cheer on the runners. It was so significant. It’s been an emotional day already as we celebrate Jack, stay aware of all he continues to go through, and hold the donor family so close to our hearts. Thank you for this gift of life. We were happy to share it with hundreds of runners today!
Tom and I went off for our 3.5 mile run (more on that in tomorrow's blog).
We talked about the incredible serendipity that brought the Middlemiss family and so many big hearted people into our lives!
We first learned about the Joseph Middlemiss Foundation at the Runners World Classic race where we volunteered in July 2016.
At the starting line of the Bermuda Half Marathon....(from The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953):
“Hey are you Joe Middlemiss?” I asked a tall runner wearing a Team Big Heart shirt.
“No Joey passed away and…”
“Oh I’m so sorry of course. I’m not thinking clearly. I meant to ask if you were Scott but obviously you’re someone else.”
“Hi I’m Linda and this is my husband Brad. How do you know about Team Big Heart?”
We were in awe of what a small world it was after I shared with them our Team Big Heart connection. We took photos of them at the starting line proudly wearing their Team Big Heart shirts and one with Ed Christopher.
We said another prayer and listened to the Town Crier make the proclamation to mark the start of the 2018 Bermuda Marathon and Half Marathon. We wished Brad and Linda a wonderful time out on the course as they were completing their Bermuda Triangle Half Challenge.
When we returned from Bermuda, we connected with Linda and Brad on Facebook and Team Big Heart Boston Marathon runners. The circle grew and grew.
In April of 2018, I had the privilege and honor of meeting Scott at Dave McGillivray's Book Launch of Dream Big.
Run with your heart and live from your heart. We are all so privileged and blessed to be a part of the circle of love that was borne out of unspeakable tragedy when 6 year old Joey Middlemiss earned his angel wings.
One year ago today, one family gave the ultimate gift of love and life that is now beating in Jack's beautiful little body.
Whatever challenges life may place before us, all you need is love to prevail and be able to run the best marathon of our lives.
Follow this link to make a donation to Team Big Heart's Boston Marathon Team.
To your health and wellness
From my heart to yours
Mary
Be sure to visit my website by following this link.
My books are available on Amazon.
“The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953” takes you on Mary McManus’ healing odyssey from a wheelchair to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond. After the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome in December 2006, Mary got still and asked for Divine Guidance tapping into the powerful connection she experienced to the Divine from an early age. She harnessed the power of her mind to heal her body, feverishly writing poetry in which she imagined herself healthy, whole and free from the shackles of her youth. Mary’s quest to heal her life led her to the sport of running. Her story is one that will leave you cheering for the underdog, discovering the meaning of different ability and experiencing the stunning view from the back of the pack of a race. You will have the privilege of bearing witness to how Mary overcame every challenge that life presented to her. The sport of running provides the backdrop for her journey of transformation from a survivor of childhood paralytic polio and severe trauma at the hands of family members to a woman who embodies faith, grace under fire, courage, determination, endurance and resilience. Running became a way of life for Mary that tested her mettle while forging friendships to last a lifetime. As you’ll discover in “The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953” nothing, not even a serious knee injury in December of 2014 could stop her on the roads or in her life.
Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life
Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing Hope and Possibility that chronicles the first 7 years of my healing journey:
Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance (With a Foreword by Jacqueline Hansen):
My healing journey using the power of visualization is featured in David R. Hamilton's book, "How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body-Anniversary Edition." It's available on Amazon.
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