An interesting thing happened when a Crystal Lake father, teacher and coach started running each morning earlier is month.
Remember the running scenes in Forrest Gump? It’s kind of like that. But for a purpose.
He’s Joe Capalbo. 39-years-old. A student athlete when he was at Crystal Lake Central. Now a teacher and coach there.
His 4-year-old son, Nico, was diagnosed late last year with Type 1 Diabetes.
4-year-old Nico CapalboJoe Capalbo
Joe heard about this 100-mile challenge that’s part of Diabetes Awareness Month.
And he set out alone on the first day, running four miles around Crystal Lake.
Then a social media post made it a thing: “Niko’s Army.”
“And it went from 3 people to 7 people to 13 and then 30 plus,” he told us.
Members of "Nico's Army" before a recent run www.audacy.com
They are friends, family and strangers. Joe said he's expecting as many as 70 runners and walkers this coming Sunday.
Pat Minogue is among those joining Joe on the morning runs around the lake.
Their sons are friends and so are they.
"Does it blow you away how many people have gotten involved?" we asked.
“Shows a lot about the Crystal Lake community here that we live in,” he said.
At the end of the month, after 100 miles, it all ends.
“So it’s going be like in the film Forrest Gump where at the end when he just decides to quit running and leaves everyone perplexed?” we asked.
“Correct, yeah, we’re going to raise awareness for the entire month of November and once we hit a hundred miles we’re done,” he said.
Joe is not only raising awareness, but also funds for research.
https://www.instagram.com/linking/fundraiser?fundraiser_id=1608974990974501&source_name=SHARE_LINK
