'Korns always finish'

We all have defining memories in our lives that stay with us and make us smile whenever we think back. I was very fortunate to be apart of such a memory on Sept. 11th, 2011. Myself, my sister Rebekkah Korn and my dad Mitch Korn participated in a half marathon (from Bethlehem, Pa., to Easton, Pa.) to benefit the “Lehigh Valley for Via” charity, which supports programs for adults and children with disabilities. This race was different than all other half marathons I had done in the past because my father and sister were to take part. My dad is a hard-working physical therapist in Monroe, who has overcome a lot of physical adversity throughout his life. To start with he has no knee cap, which leaves him with a noticeable limp. He’s also had surgeries on his nose to repair a deviated septum, back surgery to repair degraded disks and rotator cuff surgery. Despite all this, he wanted to train to walk the half marathon with my sister, having never participated in a race before. I admit at first I was a little bit worried about him pushing his body, but every week he would walk the pond in Monroe, adding mileage and pushing himself to get faster. On race day, my mom was there for support as I ran the half marathon and my sister and dad walked it together. The smile on their faces as they approached the finish line, holding an American flag, was something I will never forget. They finished in three hours, 21 minutes, which was approximately a 15-minute mile for 13.1 miles. As my dad would say, “Korns always finish!” I am so proud of both of them and thankful for all the support from my mom as well. Rachel Korn