Olivia Rovegno cherished the time she spent with her aunt Shannon, who she described as “the cool older sister I never had.””She lived in New York City, and I remember she used to always come over for holidays and whatnot, and she would bring me whatever the cool girls were wearing in New York,” Rovegno said.Shannon struggled with mental health issues, and her family was devastated when she took her own life.”We were aware of some of the things she struggled with, but I think it’s really hard. A lot of people struggle in silence, so I think when she did pass away my sophomore year, it definitely came as a shock,” Rovegno said.Determined to turn her personal loss into a purpose, Rovegno committed to running the Boston Marathon in memory of her aunt.”It’s been a dream of mine to run the Boston Marathon and do it in memory of her, so I’m very excited,” she said.Rovegno is running for the Franciscan Children’s team to help raise awareness of mental health issues. Franciscan Children’s is one of the largest providers of inpatient pediatric mental health care in the Boston area.”They’re getting help at a really early age, and they’re getting the support that they need so that hopefully when they are older, they kind of have already faced those issues and had the support they need,” Rovegno said.Olivia does some of her training in the South End, just a half mile from the marathon finish line. She has never run Boston before, but she knows what she will be thinking about when she needs to push through.”My family is extremely proud. They’re very excited about it, especially my grandma. She cried when I told her I was running in memory of my aunt,” Rovegno said.”I’m so grateful to be running for Franciscan and to know the cause behind it. I think just feeling that pride around that mission is what is going to help me push forward,” she said.Anyone looking to donate to Franciscan Children’s can use this link.
BOSTON —
Olivia Rovegno cherished the time she spent with her aunt Shannon, who she described as “the cool older sister I never had.”
“She lived in New York City, and I remember she used to always come over for holidays and whatnot, and she would bring me whatever the cool girls were wearing in New York,” Rovegno said.
Shannon struggled with mental health issues, and her family was devastated when she took her own life.
“We were aware of some of the things she struggled with, but I think it’s really hard. A lot of people struggle in silence, so I think when she did pass away my sophomore year, it definitely came as a shock,” Rovegno said.
Determined to turn her personal loss into a purpose, Rovegno committed to running the Boston Marathon in memory of her aunt.
“It’s been a dream of mine to run the Boston Marathon and do it in memory of her, so I’m very excited,” she said.
Rovegno is running for the Franciscan Children’s team to help raise awareness of mental health issues. Franciscan Children’s is one of the largest providers of inpatient pediatric mental health care in the Boston area.
“They’re getting help at a really early age, and they’re getting the support that they need so that hopefully when they are older, they kind of have already faced those issues and had the support they need,” Rovegno said.
Olivia does some of her training in the South End, just a half mile from the marathon finish line. She has never run Boston before, but she knows what she will be thinking about when she needs to push through.
“My family is extremely proud. They’re very excited about it, especially my grandma. She cried when I told her I was running in memory of my aunt,” Rovegno said.
“I’m so grateful to be running for Franciscan and to know the cause behind it. I think just feeling that pride around that mission is what is going to help me push forward,” she said.
Anyone looking to donate to Franciscan Children’s can use this link.