Phillips Hardware raises funds for Stride Adaptive Sports

Jon Phillips of A Phillips Hardware shared the following:

I have been chairing the Strides 4 Stride Race for the past 12 years. We have raised funds to help many special needs youth athletes and warriors. 
 
The past year has been very challenging for these individuals due to the constraints that Covid placed on activities and events. Please help these special athletes get back into action by donating to my fundraising page for the event.
 
This year, Tyler and Connor participated virtually with a hike in Phoenix, and Dylan and I ran at the event. We agreed to run together, but Dylan had a burst of energy and took off at the halfway marker to finish 9th overall with a time of 25.24. 

I didn’t train this year and was pushing to the finish line. Early in the morning, Mary Ellen (Stride Director) shared a story of a 11 year-old boy, Kiernan training for the race; it truly pumped me up for the event!  
I always try to pick someone to catch on the last 1/2 mile. A man passed me and I began to chase him.  As I caught up to him, he stopped to cheer on Kiernan, the 11 year-old boy (Mary Ellen told me about earlier). I stopped with him; he held Kiernan’s hand on the left and I held his hand on the right side. We kept encouraging Kiernan to keep going.  
 
The other gentleman said he was heading to finish so he could get photos of Kiernan crossing the finish line. Kiernan and I kept encouraging each other to keep moving to the finish line.  We crossed the finish line together. 
 
When I viewed the finish video, I noticed the smile on Kiernan’s face and the exhaustion on mine. This was my favorite finish out of the past 12 years. Kiernan and I hugged and celebrated the race together and with others.  His mother told me I am his newest friend and I said the same. 

Please consider making a donation to Stride so others can experience the smile and victory that Kiernan did.