By Lori Mabee, Senior Program Director, South Oakland Family YMCA
I’m the sweeper for our Girls on the Run & STRIDE 5K, which means I’m the last person to finish the race, making sure everyone finishes safely. The program is about building character and confidence in young boys and girls over a period of 10 weeks. The end of the program finishes with the 5K.
This year, as the sweeper, I cheered the girls on with a megaphone. About 2 miles into the race, I came upon Sharon and Joy, sisters just a year apart. Joy is 12, and Sharon is 11 and has Down Syndrome. As we ran/walked the last 1.1 miles, Sharon would sporadically start jumping up and down shouting with tears in her eyes, “I just can’t do it!” Joy would take Sharon’s hand, and with a slight tug, they would start running again. Throughout the 5K Joy even carried Sharon on her back, which was no small feat, as Sharon was easily 85 pounds. This scenario played out throughout the race. We kept cheering for Sharon to keep going but it was tough, and the only person who could help her was Joy. I could see Joy was becoming exhausted. I was choked up with emotion by the way Joy treated her sister: She was patient, sweet and kind.
When Sharon broke down again, I asked if I could hold her hand, but she said no and began to cry, stomping her feet saying, “I can’t finish! I can’t move anymore!” Joy was ready to fall over from exhaustion so I asked Sharon if I could carry her this time. She finally said yes – up she jumped and I started running with her on my back.
We rounded a corner and there it was: the finish line! Sharon yelled “I want down! I want to run!” I let her down and off she ran. I grabbed the megaphone and started getting the 100 or so people along the finish line to cheer “Go Sharon!” We all watched Sharon cross the finish line. She may have been the last to cross it but she was certainly was the proudest. Sharon put her medal around her neck as Joy walked to their father, refusing to accept a medal. I ran over saying, “Oh no, oh no Joy- you get a medal too.” I put it around her neck, and then placed my hot pink Girls on the Run cape on Joy’s shoulders. With tears in my eyes, I told their dad how proud he should be of his daughters, especially Joy, who always stood by her sister, never giving up, pushing Sharon to continue when all she wanted to do was quit.
Joy was the real hero of the day. She embodies everything that the Girls on the Run program is about. I’m thrilled I had the honor of witnessing this extraordinary display of selflessness.