Chesterfield woman raises over $24K to honor her late husband in Boston Marathon
VENN
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A Chesterfield County woman is lacing up her running shoes for this year's Boston Marathon with the goal of getting more than a medal.
On top of training for the 26.2 mile run, 71-year-old Amanda Moody has raised over $24,000 for cancer research. Moody lost her husband of 48 years, Art, in February of 2024 to lymphoma and COVID complications.
Art Moody (Courtesy of Amanda Moody)
“I think he’ll be with me every step of the way," Moody said.
She said he’d battled cancer for 18 years, but because of research and funding, they were still able to enjoy running, hiking and spending time with their four grandchildren for the last years of his life.
All of the money she’s raised will go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) research. Moody runs with the LLS's Team in Training, a program for endurance challenges all aimed at raising money for research.
She's also fundraising in honor of her nephew, who passed away at age 20 from leukemia. Her final fundraising goal is $25,000.
Art and Amanda Moody (Courtesy of Amanda Moody)
She said friends and family were already donating to research efforts in Art’s memory before she decided to sign up for the marathon.
"Art, kind of, was a person who lived to help people," she said. "I feel that so much of my donations have come in because of him, so this is a way that he can go on helping people.”
Two of Moody’s four grandkids will be in Boston with her as she crosses the finish line, a moment she hopes inspires them in honor of their grandpa.
“It means everything because they were everything to Art," she said. "And we always talk about grandpa, and he’s, he’s our model. You know, you keep going and you don’t complain, and you do what you can to help other people.”
Art Moody (Courtesy of Amanda Moody)
She said she is both nervous and excited for the race on Monday, April 21. But this isn't her first -- she's ran over 20 marathons, all after turning 50.
