FALMOUTH—Running has long been Jess Stanley's connection to her son Brenden, a sixth-grader known for his kindness and passion for giving back.
For the last five years Stanley has traveled from Chicopee to honor her favorite running partner in the Falmouth Road Race. Brenden donated his heart, liver and kidney following his death at age 12.
Since 2000, the Falmouth Road Race has helped charity partners raise more than $60 million. On Sunday, Stanley will run with Team New England Donor Services (NEDS), a nonprofit working with donors and donor families.
Patrick Flanary Tell us about Team New England Donor Services, which works to benefit organ and tissue donation.
Jess Stanley My son is actually a donor, and we are a donor family. When he passed away, he was able to donate his organs to impact people's lives. So ever since then, I've run with Team NEDS to bring awareness to the importance of organ donation and how much that last act of kindness can impact the family. In your moment of sadness, it can bring joy and happiness to others.
PF What made your son smile?
JS Wrestling and running. Part of the reason I run is because we used to run together when he would come home from school, so I continue to run in his memory. Wrestling wasn't really my forte. It was his. He was a big WWE fan, so that was what he loved doing besides running and schoolwork.
PF Did you ever talk about the importance of donating an organ?
JS We did. One of my big things with my son is we were very active in giving back, volunteering with Special Olympics and different organizations. It was really important for me to instill in my son the importance of kindness. Ironically, the day that he passed away, he had come home from school with the kindness award. He wanted to make others smile and make others happy. So in my time of not smiling, I was able to smile knowing that we were stopping other people from dealing with what our family had to go through. He donated his heart, his liver and his kidney to three different individuals.
PF Tell me about your discipline with running. Is it something you do year-round no matter how cold or hot it gets?
JS I am one of those crazy runners. I am out there 365. I love running in the snow. Nothing is better than early 5 a.m. runs in the snow just watching it come down. Those are the moments I feel like I am the closest to my son. It's just me and him out there. So running really is my outlet and my connection with my son. I feel like every time I lace up my shoes and get on the road, he's there with me. That is also why when I run the Falmouth Road Race, I run with a picture of him on my heart so I don't give up.
PF What did your son teach you?
JS To always be kind and just to smile. It didn't matter what anybody said to him, he would always just be kind. He did not have a mean bone in his body.
PF What should people know if they're running this for the first time and they're feeling intimidated?
JS It's not only a beautiful run and scenic view. It's the volunteers. And nothing gets you going more than a little kid on the side of the road with their little signs to give you an energy boost. It's seven miles of pure joy and people cheering you on.
