This year, I’m running the Houston Aramco Half Marathon in honor of someone who meant the world to our family — my mother-in-law, Kelly Stuchlik — who passed away this March after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Kelly was more than just a mother-in-law. She was a proud mom, a loving grandmother, and a woman with an unmistakable spark — kind-hearted, sharp, and full of quiet strength. When my daughter Lilly was born in 2020, Kelly and her husband Terry lived in Houston and made a special effort to be close during those early years. Even as Alzheimer’s began to dim parts of her memory, her love for her family was always there — steady and sincere. Watching someone you love slowly disappear while still physically present is one of the most painful experiences I’ve ever been through. It’s a slow, cruel disease that affects not just the person diagnosed but everyone around them — spouses, children, grandchildren, friends. My husband Ben, Kelly’s only child, is gracefully walking a path of not only losing a mom physically, but undergoing the dementia challenges of his father simultaneously. I feel it myself as I try to support our family through the uncertainty and grief. This half marathon is personal. Every mile I run is for Kelly. Every donation goes to the Alzheimer’s Association, supporting research to find a cure and offering vital resources to families currently in the fight. This is how I choose to channel the sadness — into purpose, into action, into hope. If you feel moved, please consider donating. Your support honors Kelly’s memory and helps build a future where no family has to endure the same loss. Thank you for reading. And thank you for remembering Kelly with me.