Man Draws Inspiration From Daughter Who Died of Cancer to Run NYC Marathon

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NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Sunday marks the 49th running of the TCS New York City Marathon and one man from Connecticut tells us this year, he’s inspired by his young daughter who died of cancer.

Jim McCaffrey tells WCBS 880’s Marla Diamond the part he is most looking forward to is also a highlight for many other marathoners: mile 16, heading off the Queensboro Bridge and on to First Avenue.

He says it’s nostalgic to go back to the area.

“I did a lot of training around there when she was in treatment, running over the Queensboro Bridge will her and with my son in between rounds of treatment and I just knew I had to come back and run the race again,” McCaffrey said.

His 6-year-old daughter, Mia, battled rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare childhood cancer, for a year before she died on March 17.

Mia McCaffrey

Photo credit Jim McCaffrey

McCaffrey says now Mia’s spirit motivates the girls he coaches on the cross country team at Trumbull High School.

“Our motto is ‘Make It Amazing’ after the letters in Mia’s name – M-I-A: Make It Amazing – and those girls have just kinda taken to Mia’s story and my story and my family’s story and they do everything they can to go out and run hard,” he said.

Mia McCaffrey

Photo credit Jim McCaffrey

This Sunday will be McCaffrey’s 13th major marathon and the first since Mia’s passing.

He will be cheered on from the sidelines by his family, including Mia’s baby brother, born in April and aptly named Miles.

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