On July 20th, I’ll be racing the Ironman 70.3 in Sandusky, Ohio: a 70.3-mile triathlon with a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike & 13.1-mile run in honor of my PapPap, who lives with a rare and incredibly painful condition called trigeminal neuralgia (TN).

Often described as the “suicide disease,” due to its extreme pain, trigeminal neuralgia causes sudden, intense facial pain like electric shocks or stabbing sensations triggered by everyday actions. There is no cure, and for those who suffer from it, every day can be a battle.

Despite the pain, PapPap pushes forward with strength and resilience. Inspired by him, I’m dedicating my race to raise funds for the Facial Pain Association (FPA), a nonprofit that supports people living with TN and other facial pain disorders.

All donations go directly to the FPA to help provide resources, raise awareness, and fund research for better treatments.

Please consider donating or sharing to support this cause and help bring hope to people like my PapPap. Every mile I race is for him and for everyone living with this devastating condition.