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>>> WE WILL NEVER OUTRUN THE
GRIEF AND HORROR THAT DESCENDED
UPON NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT TEN
YEARS AGO TODAY. THE SADNESS WILL ALWAYS LINGER.
BUT THE FAMILY OF CHASE, THEY
TOLD ME THEIR SON’S STORY
WOULDN’T END THERE.
THEY WOULD FIND A WAY TO SHARE
HIS AMAZING SPIRIT AND JOY WITH
OTHER KIDS AND FAMILIES, AND SO
THEY DID.
>> EVERYONE, GIVE ME A WOO-HOO
FOR RACE FOR CHASE!
>> THIS YEAR, ACROSS FOUR STATES, HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN,
AGES 6 TO 12 GAVE IT THEIR ALL IN THE ANNUAL RACE FOR CHASE
TRIATHLON, ENVISIONED BY CHASE’S
PARENTS AND NOW ENTERING ITS
NINTH YEAR.
MANY ARE SWIMMING OR BIKING FOR
THE FIRST TIME.
MANY ARE LIKE EDWIN WHO FIRST
PARTICIPATED WHEN HE WAS 5 YEARS
OLD.
>> IT’S CHASE, THE KID WHO DIED.
MY DAD TOLD ME HE WAS A WINNER,
SO I’M GOING TO BE ONE LIKE HIM.
>> AND HAS EVEN YEAR SINCE.
>> HE HAS INSPIRED ME, BUT LIKE,
I’M RUNNING. I’M TIRED.
I FEEL LIKE I’M DEFEATED.
LET’S REMEMBER HIM AND THEN
START RUNNING.
>> WHEN WE MET TEN YEARS AGO, NONE OF US COULD HAVE IMAGINE
ADD A PATHWAY, BUT YOU SAID HE
ALWAYS PROVIDED A LANE. >> HE CAME TO ME IN A VISION AND
SAID, MAMA, WE’RE GOING TO
CHANGE THE WORLD, AND WE HAVE
BEEN WORKING ON THAT AND JUST
MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
>> LAST WEEK WE SPOKE WITH
REBECCA AT THE SERENE MEMORIAL
IN NEWTOWN THAT QUIETLY OPENED
IN NOVEMBER.
>> THIS IS A SYCAMORE TREE AND
PICKED SPECIFICALLY FORTY STRENGTH.
>> BUT WE FIRST MET HER AND HER HUSBAND STEVE JUST THREE WEEKS
AFTER THE WORST DAY OF THEIR
LIVES.
THEY ALLOWED US INTO THEIR HOME
AND INTO THE ROOM OF A
7-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO LOVED THEIAN
KIES AND NASCAR.
HE HAD ALREADY WRINT HIS LETTER
TO SANTA.
>> EVERY NIGHT I PUT HIM TO BED
AND LAY DOWN WITH HIM AND WE’D
HAVE SOME PILLOW TALK. HE WANTED TO STAY UP.
HE DIDN’T WANT TO GO TO BED,
LIKE EVERY KID. AND IT WAS GREAT.
IT WAS OUR SPECIAL TIME
TOGETHER. IT WAS AFTER HE HAD A BATH AND
HE HAD A BUBBLE BATH AND HE HAD
THAT NEWBORN BABY SMELL. >> HE CONVINCED HIS MOM TO SIGN
HIM UP FOR A KIDS TRIATHLON.
SHE DID.
HE WAS 6.
IT WAS HIS FIRST AND ONLY ONE.
HE SO MANY MORE MILES TO RUN.
>> WHEN HE PASSED, I DIDN’T KNOW
WHAT HE MEANT, YOU KNOW, WE’RE
GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD. AND SO THROUGH HIS DIVINE
INTERVENTION, HE FOUND A WAY TO SHOW US WHAT WE SUPPOSED TO DO.
AND THAT’S HOW THE YMCA GOT
INVOLVED.
>> THEY TEAMED UP TO CREATE RACE
FOR CHASE.
WHAT STARTED WITH THREE PROGRAMS
IN 2014 HAS GROWN TO TWO DOZEN.
>> THE BIG NUMBER IS OVER 4600 CHILDREN HAVE BEEN TOUCHED BY
THE PROGRAM.
THERE WAS A CHILD LAST YEAR
WHERE THE MOM CAME UP AFTERWARDS
AND SAID THIS PROGRAM CHANGED MY
SON’S LIFE.
THOSE RESONATE AND SHOW THE
POWER OF THIS PROGRAM.
>> TRIUMPH OVER TRAGEDY.
CHASE IS STILL RUNNING, LEADING
THE WAY. THE FAMILY ALONG WITH THOUSANDS
OF KIDS ARE MYIGHTILY AND HAPPIL
CARRYING ON.
>> HE LOVED TRIATHLON, SO WE’RE
TRYING TO EMBRACE THAT, WHAT HE DID.
>> WANT HIM TO KNOW THAT HE’S
ALWAYS WITH US.
EVEN IF YOU CAN’T REALLY SEE
HIM. >> THE FOUNDATION SAYS 844
CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED HOW TO SWIM, 702 LEARNED HOW TO RIDE A
BIKE AND ALL OF THEM HAVE GOTTEN
TO KNOW CHASE.