Stories
US Army Veteran1 Relay Marathon Completed1st Marathon, 1st New York City MarathonMechanical Engineer, CPI Aero
An Army mechanic turned engineer turned marathon runner. This November, Thomas will run the 2019 TCS New York City Marathon as a member of Team Mission United.
When Thomas enlisted in the US Army, he took to running and discovered he had a strong lung capacity. Within months Thomas…
2 Marathons Completed, 1st New York City MarathonLaw Student, St. John’s University
A native of Merrick, Daniel has been known since high school as “the guy running on Hewlett Avenue” but this November Daniel will be known as “the guy running through the boroughs.” He is running in the 2019 TCS New York City Marathon as a member of United Way of Long Island’s Team Mission United.
Daniel’s…
13 Marathons Completed - 1st New York City MarathonResearch Assistant, Macquarie
Carly, a native Long Islander and current Bostonian, recently retired from running. That is until she discovered the opportunity to support a cause close to her heart while running her first New York City marathon.
Carly's motivation to run began after witnessing her sister's medical struggles post-stroke. As a…
1 Triathlon Completed1 Marathon Completed – 1st New York City MarathonSUNY Albany Graduate Student, Double-Major in Cybersecurity & Political Science
Partly inspired by the non-fiction book Brothers Forever, one particular Bayport native has decided to support veterans and their families by running in the 2019 TCS New York City Marathon as a member of United Way of Long Island’s Team Mission…
27 Marathons Completed28th New York City MarathonElementary School Principal, Freeport Public Schools
Alma, an experienced long-distance runner, is preparing to complete the 2019 TCS New York City Marathon as a member of United Way of Long Island’s Team Mission United.
At age 26, Alma immigrated to New York City from Mexico City. It was then that she ran her first New York City marathon and…
David, YouthBuild GraduateCurrent Occupation: Structural Mechanic
David, a recent graduate of YouthBuild Long Island, knows the struggle of trying to escape a cycle of poor decisions. He remembers being unsure of his future, not sure where to turn and feeling deeply depressed with his purpose in life. He remembers thinking, “I need to get help, and if I don’t get help now, it’s going to be too…
Romann
VetsBuild Alumni, Class of 2013
Petty Officer 2nd Class, US Navy Veteran
US Navy Reserves
Occupation: Program Analyst, US Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Romann served two tours, totaling seven years, in the U.S. Navy – one world tour and one West Pacific tour – before entering the U.S. Navy Reserves and serving an additional tour in Kuwait. Having traveled the world at sea, Romann was…
Jeffrey
PFC US Army Veteran, Military Police Corp, 561st Military Police Company, Fort Meyer, VA 1981-84
Occupation: Medical Supply Technician
A native Long Islander, Jeffrey left Sayville, New York for Fort Meyer, Virginia when he joined the US Army. Jeffrey returned to Long Island and cared for his elderly grandmother. Finances were tight, but upon his grandmother’s passing, Jeffrey was…
Kristyne is an ambitious young woman who aspires to her future career as a neuropsychologist. As a United Way of Long Island D.R.E.A.M.S. For Youth Scholarship recipient, she is working toward making her dream a reality.
She is an old soul, wise beyond her years. Although going through an extreme hardship in her life, Kristyne has continued to persist and work hard through her studies and…
When Blair found YouthBuild Long Island, he was struggling to find a place for himself. At the age of 25, he had been volunteering with local organizations, trying to give back to his hometown of Uniondale, but wanted to do more. “I didn’t really know where I wanted to go in life,” he remembers. “Everything I was doing wasn’t totally fulfilling, I wanted to reach out and help people… that was my…