This is dedicated to my uncle Abelardo “Abby” Estrada who would have turned 72 tomorrow. Abby just loved super heroes because he believed in the good in the world. For teaching me that lesson, he was my hero.
At this point, I’m sure everyone has heard about J.J. Watt and his generous donations to the victims of Hurricane Harvey. He led fundraising efforts that amassed $30 million and through his foundation, filled several semi trucks with relief supplies. He and his teammates also took time out to visit some of the families that were devastated by the hurricane. I started this week prepared to write about Pittsburgh and it’s heroes, but after watching highlights from the Texas v. Jacksonville game on Sunday, I felt compelled to mention J.J. Watt. Plus, I mean, J.J. Watt… 
Okay, let me get back on track. What makes people like J.J. heroic is about much more than the amount of money they raise. It’s about the desire to impact others in a positive way. A person doesn’t necessarily have to donate millions or put themselves in harms way to rescue someone from a burning building. I’m not discounting these worthy feats and I do believe that an important element of heroism requires one to break out of their comfort zone. I’m talking about real life heroics. It’s doing the hard work, making the difficult choice, being an advocate for right, setting a good example, and most fundamentally, showing up. Being present- physically, mentally, emotionally- is probably the most important and most neglected part of being a hero.
When we talk about athletes making a difference, Mario Lemieux, is someone that quickly comes to mind for the people of Pittsburgh. This is the main reason that I get so excited to run the Mario Lemieux Foundation 6.6k. In some way it makes me feel connected to this legendary player and what he stands for. The 6.6k raises funds for the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation as well as the Mario Lemieux Foundation. The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation supports and promotes activities that encourage the physical and emotional well being of the community’s youth. The Mario Lemieux Foundation raises funds for research and treatment for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Lemieux was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease during his 1993 season. The diagnosis came on January 12, at which point he began undergoing radiation treatments. On Mar 2, the same day of his last treatment “Super Mario” returned to the ice in Philadelphia amid emphatic cheers from Flyers fans. In that game he scored a goal and earned an assist. In the next two games he scored four goals each. That is showing up. Just think about the incredible impact it must have on a child, to see their favorite player exhibit such determination. Resiliency defined most of Mario’s career as he often battled back pain to maintain an extremely successful career until 1997 when he retired.
…And decided to un-retire in 2000. This was around the time that I started following the sport. I was a junior in college and my best friend was a huge hockey fan. Well… She was actually more of a huge Mario fan. And me, I sort of had a thing for Darius Kasparitus. Many a night was spent walking 9 blocks to our favorite dive bar, even in the dead of winter, to watch the game. Now this was before giant flat screens and HDTV, so sometimes it was difficult to follow the puck on that regular old box television. We enjoyed it just the same. We always ordered Woodchuck Ciders and took turns paying (yes, they served me even though I was only 20 and probably looked 13). We drank our ciders while she waited for a Lemieux hat trick and I hoped for a Kasparitus fight.
I may always perplex people with my taste in men, but my friend had every good reason to love Lemieux. There’s so much more to admire than just his good looks and hockey skills. It has everything to do with his heart of gold. Before he returned to the game in 2000, he was already an owner of the Penguins. This serves to prove his loyalty and dedication to the team. The same team he earned over 1,700 points for. And since 1998, The Mario Lemieux Foundation has raised over $23 million for cancer research. In addition to his foundation, he and his wife Nathalie also created the Austin’s Playroom Project. This equips hospitals with playrooms for children whose siblings are being hospitalized. It was their vision to make hospitals more inviting and engaging for young children.
I understand that most of us don’t have the means to contribute millions or even thousands of dollars to a cause. That’s not the point. The true essence of heroism is having a community minded spirit, believing in the greater good and spreading that message. Currently, runners only have to pay a $41 registration fee for the 6.6k. That’s not much. But multiplying that $41 by the thousands of runners that sign up, that’s certainly more significant. And realizing we’re all just a small part of something much bigger, well then, that’s monumental.
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