Tisch Multiple Sclerosis Research Center of New York, Inc.

Kevin Grace was like a brother to me. He was my cousin, my friend, my daughter Olivia’s Godfather and one of the most decent humans I will ever know. He was Matthew’s Dad; Fran, Tim and Maryanne’s beloved brother, my Mom's Godson and nephew, and Uncle Bill and Aunt Patty's nephew. His friendship was cherished by all who knew him (friends know exactly what I'm talking about). Kevin was an amazing presence and a true inspiration to everyone around him.

From the wheelchair that kept him mobile, and the body that for years gradually and progressively failed him, Kevin prioritized asking you how your day was going, then cracked a witty joke to make you laugh. He never said it, but it seemed he, from the wheelchair he controlled with his chin, genuinely wanted to leave a room of people feeling better than they did before he entered it. Kevin was charming, selfless, funny, and oh-so sharp. When he passed away from cancer in November of last year, he left us all better for knowing him.

"333 was a number that meant a lot to him. It was the time of day he would try to beat coming home from school to get to his Grandma. It was a game they played. It was a time of day we always pointed out to each other." -Matthew Grace; Kevin's son

Your support of our 3 Spartan runs (info below) will help us reach our fundraising goal of $3,330!

Kevin never let his MS define him. He never let his cancer, which ultimately took him, kill his drive to live a fulfilling and benevolent life. Kevin was a dedicated father who spent as much time as he could with his son Matthew. They traveled to different destinations together and also got out to a lot of ballgames. Much more than his Mets and Rangers, however, Kevin's favorite games to watch were the Men's Volleyball matches up at SUNY New Paltz, where Matt was team Captain!

You may recall that Kevin and I teamed up in 2019 to raise funds for and awareness of Tisch MS Research Center of New York, where Kevin was a patient of Dr. Saud A Sadiq, a leading board-certified neurologist in the study and treatment of MS. Not one to shy away from a fight, Kevin really put himself out there with posts, images and videos, and together we raised more than $6,000 in support of Kevin, for Tisch, through this fund. Sadly, now we have returned to raise additional $ for Tisch, in his memory.

According to the National MS Association, it is estimated that more than 900,000 adults are living with MS in the U.S. (more than twice as many as in 1975!!), so there are still so many we CAN help... WWKD (What Would Kevin Do)?

**You too can be a fundraiser. More info below...

Before his MS severely limited his mobility, Kevin was a talented and ambitious athlete who trained for and finished the NYC Marathon! His tremendous spirit inspired us right to the end of his time, so it is in Kevin's memory that our team - Mudd, Sweat & Beers, will take on the mountains and tackle the Spartan Trifecta this year:

~ the Spartan Sprint! - Sat., 6/17; Bethel, NY - (3+ miles of obstacle racing, 20+ obstacles).

~ the Spartan Super!! - Sat., 7/15; Palmerton, PA - (6+ miles / 25+ obstacles).

~ the Spartan BEAST!!! - Sat., 9/9; Killington, VT - (12+ miles / 30+ obstacles).

Kevin was so loved by his/our family. We are honored to run in his memory. Won't you please consider a donation to our cause? All proceeds go directly through this site to the Tisch MS Research Center of NY, "An independent nonprofit organization dedicated to finding both the cause of and a cure for MS; by conducting ground-breaking research to accelerate the pace at which research discoveries translate from lab bench to bedside."

We truly appreciate you and thank you for your support!

"My Dad's Fresh Air Fund" was created in 2014 in memory of my Dad, Patrick Grace Sr., after he died from pulmonary fibrosis. We have since had the great privilege, thanks to family and friends like you, of raising more than $30,000 for American Lung Association, American Cancer Association, Tisch Research Center for MS, Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, United Hospice, and last year, in memory of my father-in-law Frank D'Apice; Memorial Sloan Kettering and Sloan Kettering Institute, where Kevin was also being treated for cancer.

**Want to join me in making a difference? You don't have to run a Spartan to be a fundraiser!

Please contact me and I will set you up to help our team raise funds to hit our $3,330 goal! This year, My Dad's Fresh Air Fund is raising money to benefit Tisch Multiple Sclerosis Research Center of New York, Inc., and either/both your donation and fundraising support will help make an impact! Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that meant so much to Kevin, and therefore, so much to us.

Tisch Multiple Sclerosis Research Center of New York aims to identify the cause of MS, understand disease mechanism, optimize therapies, and repair the damage caused by MS while offering patients access to the best and most advanced treatments possible.

Thanks for being part of our team by supporting our efforts to hit this year's $3,330 goal for Tisch MS Research Foundation in memory of Kevin, and always for Dad through our annual "Dad's Fresh Air Fund!"

Best to you and everyone you love!

-Pat & team

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...And... Hey! If you would like to take it a step further - this year or next -

and JOIN OUR TEAM - or if you just want to get a sense of some of what we will be up against on the course, please check out this short Spartan promo video.

It will amp you up! It got me out there!

Peace✌

-PG

I will be running the 4x4x48 on March 6th of this year, which consists of a 4-mile run every 4 hours for 48 hours straight, in hopes of raising money for donations to the Tisch MS Research Center of New York. This foundation and its cause are especially close in my heart because of how it affected my Mother, along with myself and my family growing up.

My Mother was diagnosed with Primary Progressive MS just before she and my Father were married in 2001, only taking an extreme hold on her life, slowly but surely, after my little brother was born in 2005. She struggled every day with the things we all take for granted, and it was incredibly hard to experience as a kid. She unfortunately passed away from COVID-19 in June of 2021 due to its severity in people with MS, and she wanted any monetary gifts to our family to instead be allocated as donations toward this foundation.

Since learning about this endurance event, I'm excited to put myself to the test while also raising money in dedication to my hero. I will be linking my Strava by race day so anyone who donates can watch as I complete each circuit of this 12-circuit event. For all donators, I give my sincerest thanks and love for helping this foundation work to find a cure for this terrible condition. I'd like to give thanks to my friends and family for their love and support in my decision to take part in this event, and especially to my Mom for all she's done for me, whether that was during her life or spiritually. Thank you so much and I can't wait for March! All funds will be donated to the foundation explained below:

More information about Tisch Multiple Sclerosis Research Center of New York, Inc.- Tisch Multiple Sclerosis Research Center of New York is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to finding the cause and a cure for MS by conducting groundbreaking research to accelerate the pace at which research discoveries translate from lab bench to bedside. The Center aims to identify the cause of MS, understand disease mechanisms, optimize therapies, and repair the damage caused by MS while offering patients access to the best and most advanced treatment possible.