SIDNEY — As a Marine Corps staff sergeant, Justin Neu is accustomed to pushing his limits. The father of six recently climbed two mountains in Colorado with his oldest daughter Allison, 20.
During the family’s first visit to The Children’s Inn in Bethesda, Maryland, last October, they were overwhelmed by the supportive, welcoming environment and the ability to connect with other families facing similar struggles. It gave them a chance to feel normal, says his wife, Emily. They traveled again from their home in Ohio to the National Institute of Health this October; Justin jumped at the opportunity to run in the 10K Marine Corps race to benefit The Inn. The race will be held Sunday, Oct. 25, in Washington, D.C.
He already has raised nearly $700 for The Inn team and is aiming to beat his fastest running time of 55 minutes for a 10K. As part of the 25th anniversary celebration, The Inn is an official charity of the Marine Corps Marathon for the first time.
“I love to run,” Justin said. “But this race means more to me.”
Justin is running to honor his 6-year-old daughter Antionette “Anna,” who is treated at the National Institute for Allergy and Musculoskeletal Skin Diseases (NIAMS) for a rare condition she has battled since age 2. Anna’s disease, ankylosing spondylitis, is a painful, chronic disorder that causes inflammation, bone erosion, joints to fuse improperly, and the possibility that bones will grow where they shouldn’t.
Emily remembers Anna’s early days with the disease. As a toddler she would be exhausted after a short walk around the block. “I have no more runs left,” she would say, or “my engine ran out.”
Four years later, Anna’s case is being followed closely at the NIH where she participates in a research study. The family hopes to find new medications and clues to what triggered her disease at such a young age. For Anna, another trip to The Inn is exciting.
“I love that my daddy is running for The Children’s Inn because I love The Children’s Inn,” she says. Anna and her mom hope to be waiting at the finish line.
“I see my daughter’s face when I run and that motivates me,’’ Justin says. “When I cross that finish line, that will be the best feeling.”
