Legacies of Passed Loved Ones
Mercy, Brenda, Janelle and Waleska’s Story
Jennifer Pineda first danced on the Runway for Recovery stage in 2023 with her daughter, Janelle, by her side.
At the time, Jennifer was living with metastatic breast cancer, but her focus was never only on herself.
“My strength is my girls,” Jennifer shared. “They are my main motivation.”
Jennifer passed away on November 7, 2024, at the age of 40. Today, Brenda, Mercy, Waleska, Trayana, and Janelle continue to carry her legacy forward.
Read MoreAlexander Klimchenko’s Story
This October, Alexis’s husband, Alexander Klimchenko, will walk the Runway in her memory, carrying her story, her strength, and the love she poured into her family.
Read MoreMatt & Zoe Ward’s Story
Matt Ward has been part of Runway for Recovery since almost the very beginning. His daughter, Zoe Lorraine, is part of what comes next.
Read MoreJonny Braithwaite’s Story
Jonny is stepping onto the Runway stage in honor of his mom.
After already showing up for Runway in a huge way as one of the organization’s first Boston Marathon runners, Jonny will now experience another side of the community: the 20th Anniversary Runway Show.
Read MoreDan Moran’s Story
Dan Moran is returning to the Runway stage in honor of his mom.
For Dan, walking in her memory means everything.
“Runway allows me to show the world what an incredible woman, mother, and warrior she was throughout her battle with breast cancer,” Dan says.
Read MoreErica Fontes’s Story
Erica explains her reason for walking the Runway on behalf of her mother.
“It’s my way of honoring her after 10 years.”
Read MoreEmily Cohen’s Story
Emily Cohen has been part of the Runway family for more than a decade, first walking in 2012 and 2013 before returning as an alum model beginning in 2016.
But Emily’s impact on Runway goes far beyond the stage.
As a family grant reader and family liaison volunteer, Emily has supported families facing breast cancer in deeply personal ways.
For Emily, Runway is family, remembrance, science, service, and love in action.
Read MoreFrannie McBrian’s Story
Frannie has been connected to breast cancer since before she was born.
“I wish that my 10-year-old self had some of the resources and the incredible opportunities that Runway gifts families and children with,” she says.
Read MoreJoshua Smith’s Story
Joshua Smith and his children are returning to the Runway stage in honor of Katie.
When Katie was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, the life they had planned together shifted in ways they never could have imagined.
Joshua remembers Runway helping with things like gas and groceries during a time when his family was in survival mode. More than that, he remembers how much joy Runway gave Katie.
For Joshua, Runway gives his family something rare: a place to put their love for Katie out into the world.
Read MoreMaggie Corcoran Seitz’s Story
Breast cancer has shaped Maggie’s life through love, loss, and family.
Her mother passed away from breast cancer when Maggie was a young adult. At the time, there were very few people in her life who understood what it meant to lose a mother so young.
Olivia was one of them.
That shared understanding became part of what connected Maggie to Runway for Recovery.
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