Hello My Fellow Running Mates,
I hope that everyone is doing well and getting ready for a festive holiday season. Unfortunately for one of our own, this entire year has been extremely difficult and challenging. For those of you who may not know, Trinity Gray, my teammate at Brown University and an incredible middle distance athlete and competitor (400m:46.19 800m: 1:44.54 - fastest time by an American in 2001) was diagnosed with brain cancer at the start of the year and had to undergo brain surgery to remove the tumor in his head.
Only a few months later he had to undergo yet another operation. Luckily they believe they have cleared the tumor and Trinity is being cared for by one of the best doctors in the nation. Thankfully he also had his old Coach Bob Rothenberg present every step of the way.
However, Trinity has lost much of his eyesight and has had complications from his surgeries and medications. He currently is not able to work, and the paperwork for assistance from the state is taking considerable time, making Trinity have to bear an even greater sacrifice. I recently went down to Philadelphia to see Trinity and despite the immense challenges he has faced this year, he is still the incredible competitor we have known since we first met him. He is confident he will recover and get back to work as soon as he is able. He truly is an incredible inspiration to us all.
I am thus sending this post out to the running community to show our fallen brother that we are right by his side. We have raised close to 2,000 dollars thus far and people having been incredibly supportive. Whatever you can contribute, small or large the act of giving is what counts. Please also leave a message for him when you do, Trinity will most certainly be touched by seeing his running peers are thinking of him.
To donate, please go to this site I set up for him:
http://helptrinity.chipin.com/trinity-gray
Thank you everyone. Keep living, keep running, keep believing...
Derek Schueren (Class of '98 Brown XC & Track)