WEST HARTFORD/BRISTOL/CANTON/BURLINGTON, Conn. — The Bristol mom and West Hartford schoolteacher has been running lately and not just for her health.
She is running in memory of her beloved little son.
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On Sunday, Margo Parenti, a fifth-grade teacher at Braeburn Elementary School in West Hartford, participated in the classic 10K road race from Burlington to Collinsville.
Sponsored by the Hartford Marathon Foundation, this beautiful course follows the Farmington River in Burlington and ends in the village of Collinsville in Canton.
But about two years ago, Parenti was on the track team in high school but wasn't a runner and couldn't imagine running a road race.
Then, on May 17, 2022, her 7-year-old son, Nicholas Parenti, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive brain tumor called diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). He was scheduled to die on August 31, 2022.
According to FYZICAL Therapy and Balance Center in Bristol, Parenti was “on a journey to heal both body and soul” when she decided to run a 10K.
According to FYZICAL, getting ready to start running wasn't easy for Parenti.
She started training with friends for the Hartford Half Marathon last year, but when she started experiencing severe ankle pain due to tendonitis, she came to FYZICAL.
According to FYZICAL, Parenti bonded with physical therapist Dr. Brenna Kelly, who is also a runner in the Hartford Half Marathon.
In the end, Parenti pulled off the event a year ago without any pain, writing “FYZICAL” in a statement and vowing to continue to run for the skies for her late son.
Parenti said she even hopes to complete a race at least once a month.
“It may seem like a big deal, but I am lucky to be healthy and able to race. By challenging myself, I am helping others near and dear to me: my 13-year-old son, my students, my colleagues, and myself. “I’m setting a positive example for others,” she said.
“We play many roles in life, but the most important thing I've learned on this journey so far is to put my health first and to ask for help if I need it. ”
Click this link for more information about FYZICAL in Bristol.
Click this link for more information about the Burlington to Collinsville 10K.