A MESSAGE FROM Thomas
Thank you for visiting my fundraising page for the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Once again, I will be taking on 26.2 miles on October 12th, 2025, to support the kids of Mercy Home for Boys & Girls. This will be my third year in a row as a Mercy Home Hero which I am very grateful for. The memory of running through 'The Mercy Mile Cheer Zone' around mile 17 was a highlight that I will cherish forever during the Chicago Marathon. The visual of the children of Mercy Home cheering and running alongside me as a Mercy Home Hero will always bring me joy.
Along with it being my third year supporting Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will be my 25th Marathon that I have ever run. Never did I imagine that I would come so far in this sport which started after reading an article about Dean Karnazes, an Ultramarathoner. Karnazes 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 consecutive days journey inspired me to do a marathon myself.
As I trained for my first marathon, the 2007 Marine Corps Marathon I not only fell in love with running, but it increased my physical fitness score, catapulting me to a 300 physical fitness score which is the highest you can receive in the United States Marine Corps. Running became part of my life! It became my love and my number one coping skill to escape reality, as well as excuse to travel throughout the United States to do it in other cities. To this date, I have been running consistently since April 27th, 2007.
