For Beth Hartwig, finding herself was all about finding her step.
"When I was 18, I was fresh out of high school and I ran the Lakefront Marathon. And I did well," says Beth Hartwig, three-time Boston Marathon runner.
With running in her blood, the Boston Marathon was more than a dream, it was destiny.
"It has been the goal since I started running. I remember sneaking into my dad's room and taking his Boston medals out of their case and looking at them," says Beth.
In 2009, Beth ran her first 26.2 miles in Boston. In 2013, Beth returned to conquer the course again.
"I don't remember finishing. There's not anything about that race that I remember. I remember everything after," says Beth.
What happened after was two bombs exploded on the marathon's path.
"I heard the explosions, I was about two blocks away. But I didn't piece it together. Then the phone rang and it was my brother and he called me to tell me explosions were going off. I just froze," says Beth.
All safe, Beth and her family returned home to Wisconsin. In 2014, Beth ran the Boston Marathon for herself. In 2015, she was there to support her brother. Beth hasn't returned since.
"I knew last year was the 9th anniversary of the bombings and I was thinking in my head next year is 10. I want to be there," says Beth.
But Beth didn't want to just run, she wanted to run with a purpose.
That purpose would come from a woman named Rebekah Gregory, who was also in Boston on April 15th, 2013.
"A bomb exploded and she took the brunt of it from behind. Her torso, her legs, but her son pretty much walked away physically unharmed," says Beth.
Physically, unscathed, the five-year-old was mentally torn to pieces.
"When she [Rebekah] got home from the hospital, he was like don't worry Mom, we are never leaving the house again. So she began to search for ways to help him," says Beth.
That's how Rebekah's Angels came to be, providing the same type of therapy Rebekah's family received.
"Since its founding, Rebekah's Angels has funded therapy for 500 families throughout the US," says Beth.
With a personal goal of $10,000 which Beth has already surpassed, this runner is still going.
"I am doing a fundraiser at Miss Molly's Cafe. So people can come out and 10 percent of the proceeds will go to Rebekah's angels," says Beth.
Because for Beth, finding her step is now about helping others find theirs.
"Crossing that finish line it's going to be an entirely different experience for me because I've never done this. I've never had my running benefit, other people. That is something that I'm really excited about," says Beth.
You can visit Miss Molly's on April 13th or visit www.givengain.com to donate to Rebekah's Angels.
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