‘VLIET GRADS RUN MILES FOR MIRACLES
Fruscio, Mullaney enter Boston Marathon for life-saving Boston’s Children Hospital
By David M. Johnson
Scott Fruscio thought he was done running marathons.
The Watervliet native got into the sport of running later in life as a challenge to himself and as a fundraiser for a worthy cause — the Boston Children’s Hospital. Fruscio ran the 2014 Boston Marathon, a year after the race was the target of a bombing, as a statement race, and what he considered to be the end to his marathon career.
That was before Eamonn was born.
Eamonn is the first-born son of Sean Mullaney, a fellow Watervliet native who’s become Fruscio’s best friend since they both moved to the Boston area. The now 6-month-old arrived more than three months premature and required respiratory support, abdominal surgery and constant monitoring for the first few months of his life. All of that was done at Boston Children’s Hospital, the beneficiary of Fruscio’s three previous Boston Marathon runs.
After seeing the support the hospital provided both Eamonn and his parents, Frusico, now 44-years-old, decided to lace up his running shoes again — if it was OK with the Mullaney family.
Not only did Sean Mullaney agree, the new father decided to join in.
“I told (Sean) probably a week after his son was born that I was thinking about running,” Fruscio said. “He and I decided to do it together. I committed to raise $7,500, that’s how it started. He just decided that he couldn’t sit around and watch.”
Not just anyone can run the Boston Marathon. Those who wish to participate need to meet a qualifying time for their gender and age group to even be considered for entry. That is, unless you’re able to raise a significant amount of money for an approved charity.
Fruscio’s family is deeply entwined in Troy-area athletics. His cousin Marc is the head basketball coach at Lansingburgh High and his cousin Nick is a freshman on the UAlbany men’s basketball team this winter.
Scott Fruscio was an AllCity basketball and football player in the Class of 1991 at Watervliet, but he is the first to say he’s not a world-class runner. That means Frucio and Mullaney, a Class of 1996 grad, need to meet fundraising goals with the Miles for Miracles team for Boston Children’s Hospital to be able to run the race.
Mullaney reached his goal in about two weeks. Fruscio’s fundraising needs a late push to qualify for the race on April 17 — known as Patriots day in Boston — even after a successful fundraiser at Patrick’s Pub in Watervliet. The process has only reinforced the way Fruscio feels about the city he grew up in.
“I enjoy living (in Boston) but Watervliet is the type of place you’re always going to have one foot in because of the childhood I had,” Fruscio said. “This town takes care of its own. They come together. It’s really a special.”
Training for the race is just as big a commitment as raising money for it. Fruscio and Mullaney have gutted through scheduled runs several days a week all winter. Both have drawn on the cause, Eamonn and each other’s friendship to get through it.
“It was something I never seriously considered and most likely would not have considered if not for Eamonn and (Boston Children’s) and Scott coming to me with it,” Mullaney said of running a marathon. “(Eamonn) was there just over five months. It felt like we were living at the hospital. They were there for us in every way a hospital could be. They saved his life. This is one way I can give back.”
Eamonn is still under 24-hour surveillance at another hospital, but is doing well and recently celebrated his first St. Patrick’s Day. The Miles for Miracles group is made up of runners with similar stories, all training hard just to complete the 26.2 race. Some have children who’ve recovered enough to leave, like Eamonn. Others with children who did not.
“Someone next to you may have a picture on their shirt of their child who didn’t make it,” Fruscio said. “I’m extremely lucky with the way I grew up. Every kid should have a wonderful childhood. A lot of these kids don’t.
“It makes you realize how lucky you are. You have your loved ones, you have your job, you have your health. It makes you want to pay it forward.” To donate to the Boston Children’s Hospital, visit: http://fundraise. childrenshospital.org/ site/TR?px=1002392&fr_ id=1510&pg=personal