CAPED CRUSADERS
Hundreds turn out for second Sasha’s Superhero Run
MECHANICVILLE, N.Y.» Hundreds of superhero supporters gathered on Sunday for the second annual Sasha’s Superhero Run.
This event, held Sunday morning at Tallmadge Park in Mechanicville, is named in honor of Sasha Hudson White.
Little Sasha was a baby boy who lived for only 24 days before suddenly passing away on Christmas Eve in 2016.
Sasha’s Superhero Run is organized by his parents Chris White and Olya PrevoWhite of Mechanicville. “We just felt it was a great way to bring people together,” PrevoWhite said.
Sasha never got a chance to grow up, do good deeds and help others, but his family has committed to honor his memory and letting Sasha’s spirit live on by bringing people together for this yearly event and directing 100 percent of race proceeds to helping other children.
The race is a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region, which provides comfort, support and respite for families of seriously ill children in a compassionate and homelike environment through the operation of the Ronald McDonald House and the Ronald McDonald House Family Room in the Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center.
The White family never utilized the Ronald McDonald House or its services, as Sasha’s illness was quick. “But in the moment we could see that your world goes upside down when your child is sick, and having an organization that can help families
that are going through this is incredible,” Prevo-White said.
In its inaugural year Sasha’s Superhero Run raised $10,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region, and this year organizers were aiming to do about the same.
“It’s a huge support,” said Meaghan Pinkowski, a program coordinator with Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region. “It’s wonderful knowing that there’s a race out there that brings other families together that have lost a child.” Pinkowski personally sees how the event helps both past and current families of the Ronald McDonald House.
The annual Sasha’s Superhero Run also offers a sense of community for area families who have lost a child. “This race became about a lot more than just Sasha. It became about other kids that have passed too early and their parents,” Prevo-White said on Sunday during the event. “It takes superhero strength to be the parent who lives on without their child, and it’s hard work, but it’s better to know that others are in a similar boat.”
A special ceremony for these families was held before the beginning of the race. Parents and siblings recited the names of their loved ones and then collectively blew bubbles in the air. “It’s a very sad club to join when you lose a child,” Prevo-White said to the group, but having each other for support can be a source of comfort.
Following this ceremony, about 400 people participated in the Kids Fun Run and the 5K race. Many participants - including runners, walkers, supporters and community members - wore superhero costumes, capes and masks for the occasion.
More information about this effort is available online at www.sashasrun. com, where online donations can be made to support the cause.