Zack Caporale, who joined our chapter this month, is running the NYC marathon this November for a great cause. Any donations are greatly appreciated for supporting both Zack, his family, and Team in Training.
From Zack:
My name is Zack Caporale, and I am a new member of Connecticut Alpha from Glastonbury, CT. I just joined the chapter this month and am excited to become a part of this incredible brotherhood. This year, I am running my first full marathon in New York City on November 6. For this event, I am fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through Team In Training. Team In Training is a philanthropic organization devoted to fundraising for Leukemia and Lymphoma through endurance events, such as marathons and triathlons. This organization exclusively donates to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, which has raised over $1.5 billion to research and treat the deadly illness. Cancer has unfortunately touched us all in the past years, and I am no exception.
In 2019, my mother Elaine was in the process of fundraising and training for a 100-mile bike ride when she was diagnosed with stage IV Melanoma. At this point she had completed one triathlon, two 100-mile bike rides, and one half-marathon, all through Team In Training. Due to her newly worsening condition, she had to give up her next event.
After a long struggle with unsuccessful surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation treatment, and other experimental drugs, the disease took her life in May of 2020. After consideration, my siblings, Thomas and Elizabeth, decided that they would fundraise through Team In Training themselves. They decided on the most challenging event that Team In Training offered: The NYC marathon. They each raised over $3,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through this event. Afterward, they convinced me to do the same next year, when I would be attending college. Now, myself and my brothers Thomas and Jamison have united to raise money with Team In Training, just as Elaine had done in years prior.
A little more about my extraordinary mother:
Elaine was a Connecticut resident, a student at UConn, and an athlete on the division I swim team. Later in life, she was not only a mother of five children, but also a devoted psychiatric nurse. In this field of work, she spent her time and effort counseling those less fortunate than herself: the mentally ill, suicidal, insane and other troubled individuals. She found a unique satisfaction in her work but still looked for other opportunities to give back to the community. Along with her endurance fundraising, she participated in local fundraisers and often donated homemade meals to nearby soup kitchens. She even helped me in my juvenile volunteer work at the local animal shelter.
Elaine was the most caring, compassionate person I’ve ever met, and in her time on earth, she was nothing but positive. In particular, Elaine cherished the minute details of life as something more significant. She had one specific phrase that embodied this persona: “Every moment counts”. In the spirit of honoring Elaine, my family has decided to name our fundraising unit Team Every Mile Counts.
I humbly ask you to donate to my fund, using the provided link, to honor such a remarkable mother, wife, sister, and friend of ours.
Thank you.
Zack Caporale, ‘26
https://pages.lls.org/tnt/ctwhv/nyc22/ZCaporale
