Spring

Boston Marathon Finish Line
It’s hard to believe that it has been over a month since the Boston Marathon! I had such an incredible experience at Boston and enjoyed every moment running for the causes that are so important to me. I can’t thank my sweet college teammates and friends enough for surprising me with the video below! I was blown away by all of the support I received from my friends and family and couldn’t stop smiling the entire marathon! Thank you Jamie O’Day from the Oral Cancer Foundation for the awesome care package! It is an honor to support the OCF and I feel so lucky that I can help carry on my mom’s memory through an incredible organization like the The Oral Cancer Foundation. Thank you Go-Shake, Team Kattouf, and OralID for everything!

Thank you Bil for being the BEST and organizing this awesome video that made me smile and cruise through an entire marathon!  Love you!!

Thank you Bil for being the BEST and organizing this awesome video that made me cruise through an entire marathon! Love you!!

Bucstrong!

Less than a week after the Boston Marathon I had the opportunity to be a speaker at The Justice in Motion 5k in Jonesborough, TN. The Justice in Motion 5k raises awareness for the rights of victims and all proceeds go to local domestic violence shelters. It was an honor to be a speaker at the race and to be back in an area that I love so much! Thank you, Todd Hull and all of the organizers of the race for your support of Rising Strength. Thank you We Run Events and all of the runners that came out to participate. As a victim of violence it makes such a difference knowing that there are communities coming together to not only support victims but advocate for change.

Justice in Motion

As we get ready to start preparing for talks this fall and another Blue Ridge Relay, I can’t thank my friends enough for their support of Rising Strength and Carol’s Fight! I am so lucky to have such amazing people in my life who constantly blow me away with their friendship and love!

Thank you Meredith for being an amazing friend!!  Not many would come out and cheer ia friend in 40 degree, rain and wind while being almost 9 months pregnant !  Thank you for ALWAYS taking such great care of me, love you!

Thank you Meredith for being an amazing friend!! Not many would come out and cheer a friend in 40 degree, rain and wind while being almost 9 months pregnant ! Thank you for ALWAYS taking such great care of me, love you!

Thank you for the generous donation to Rising Strength!  We will use this towards the vans for the Blue Ridge Relay team, that will take on 208 miles again to raise awareness for the violence that occurs against women.

Thank you for the generous donation to Rising Strength! We will use this towards the vans for the Blue Ridge Relay team, that will take on 208 miles again to raise awareness for the violence that occurs against women.

Justice in Motion

Justice in Motion

I am honored to be speaking at this year’s Justice in Motion 5k, in Jonesborough, TN on April 25, 2015. The Justice in Motion 5k is dedicated to victims of homicide, while also raising awareness of victims rights and promoting victim services for ALL victims of crimes. All proceeds of this race will go to local non-profit groups in the area that provide aid to victims.

I never thought I would be a victim of an attempted rape and murder, not because I was naive that terrible things don’t happen, but because I considered myself a pretty cautious person who didn’t put myself in bad situations. Being attacked in my home by a paroled rapist did not seem feasible in Johnson City, TN, the college town I had grown to love. I was extraordinarily lucky to have gotten away from my attacker before I was injured or killed. So many others, were not as fortunate as I was, including the two women my attacker raped several days after my attack. Please help me in honoring the victims of violence by joining in the cause of Justice in Motion.

To register or donate to the race, please click the link below. Thank you!

Justice in Motion

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I recently went back to Johnson City, TN and went on my first run there since the day of the attack. It is believed that my attacker followed me from my morning run back to my home. After the attack, I avoided going near the street where I used to live, a mile from where I went to undergrad and grad school at ETSU. Over a year later, it felt great to be back in Johnson City and I don’t feel like the attack defines my experience there. Instead, when I go back to Johnson City I choose to see it for the beautiful place, filled with incredible people and where I have so many great memories. The attacker could not take away my love of East Tennessee.

I am very excited for upcoming Rising Strength talks and a partnership with Go Shake. As well as the second Blue Ridge Relay team. Thank you to everyone for the support of Rising Strength!