A group of teachers from Evans City Middle School ran the half-marathon in this year’s Pittsburgh Marathon in honor of someone they admire.
Principal Marie Palano, and teachers Rosemary Piso, Chrystal Zinkham, Joseph Ehmann, Carey Carvelli, Clare Thomas and Cecil Crouch entered the sixth annual event to raise funds to fight multiple sclerosis out of admiration and love for Sandy Krivak-Fowler, the school’s former principal.
Three years before resigning in June, Krivak-Fowler, 47, was diagnosed with MS. The former triathlete tried to keep it to herself, but it became too difficult to do her job.
“She did not want to resign,” Piso says. “She is wonderful with kids, and she is in the right profession. The hardest thing for her was to step away from her job.”
Before resigning, Krivak-Fowler put out feelers among her staff, many of whom are runners, to see if they would consider running in the Pittsburgh Marathon to benefit MS research.
“We jumped at the opportunity to do it for Sandy,” Zinkham says. “We feel terrible about what she’s going through. She has worked non-stop in the school and the community.”
MS attacks the central nervous system and causes debilitating symptoms such as depression, fatigue, coordination issues and cognitive difficulties. Krivak-Fowler has always been an active person. She attended the University of Toledo on a Division One full softball scholarship, and she is an avid cycler. A mother of three, she says that learning she has MS was emotionally devastating.
“I was not a happy camper,” she says. “I was kept from re-engaging. I was experiencing life, but not experiencing it. I had to slow down from what I was used to. I went through three years of serious denial, shock and hurt.”
Unbearable fatigue and cognitive fogginess had set in. She asked herself, “Is this what I want my life to be for my children and my family?”
With the support of Kurt, her husband of 14 years, and their children, she began therapy and treatment at Allegheny General Hospital. She has regained most of the function on her right side, and her resilient nature resurfaced. She also has joined the North Hills MS support group.
When asked what she has learned from the group, Krivak-Fowler says, “There are stories more challenging than yours. You find you are not alone.”
Last year, she trained and rode in the annual Bike MS: Escape to the Lake event. With coaching and encouragement from a friend, Krivak-Fowler says she “squeaked out” 125 of the 150 miles. This year, she went the full distance.”
On Saturday, May 4, she went to the Pittsburgh Marathon to cheer on the Evans City contingent. Tears were in everyone’s eyes as Krivak-Fowler handed out healthy goodie bags she had made for them, Zinkham says.
Once the relay began, Krivak-Fowler stood at Station Square in downtown Pittsburgh.
“I got goose bumps head to toe,” Piso says, recalling the moment she spotted Krivak-Fowler cheering for her among the crowd. “She’s there, cheering me on. And I’m doing it for her.”
The Evans City group, including Krivak-Fowler, raised $3,700 for MS research.
“You decide how MS affects you,” she says. “Each day is an opportunity to be better than the day before.”
