Run For Jeff

Welcome to the inaugural RUN FOR JEFF

This event is in honor of my son Jeff Proietti. A young man whose lust for life burst at the seams and exited through his smile. A child who dived into projects with enthusiasm. After little league sports, he joined the Solvay Schools track team and carried that passion to the Empire State Games representing the Central Team.  He entered culinary schooling and made a career of it. Jeff still continued running, but infused challenges with it, like Tough Mudders & Spartan Races. It wasn’t long before he decided to stop his culinary career and switch to health & wellness. He went back to school for massage therapy and fitness training. Learning about the human body brought a whole new passion for living. He concentrated on fitness training starting at Pine Grove Health Club, then at Welch Allyn Fitness Center, and then to being in charge of the Carrier Wellness Center. He loved inspiring people to better health through fitness and nutrition. As a husband & father, he also inspired fitness in his family with activities and coached soccer for local youth groups. 

Jeff found a group called GoRuck. A wonderful nationwide organization that scheduled challenges of mind and body and was participating in an event on May 17, 2014, when someone asleep at the wheel hit Jeff from behind. It was devastating. Shook his whole family. We are still trying to cope with this. The outpouring of love from the community showed us just how much Jeff was loved. Coping with the loss of Jeff was not something we were prepared for. Shook our whole foundation. I stumbled and crashed to the point my life was in jeopardy. After falling on ice and tearing my bicep tendon from the shoulder, I realized I was deteriorating from the inside but still kept a smile to hide my grief. I turned to counseling and running. I made the conscious decision to live. Learning to turn for help when needed, I reached out to Fleet Feet for running. They were, and are, great. I was welcomed and trained on how to run. In 18 months I was off high blood pressure meds and my blood tests results were where they should be. And with it, I found Jeff’s passion. Running. Running with people and sharing my story. In doing that, I heard other people’s stories and found that everyone has a story. Everyone. 

Kathy, (my wife), and I started the Jeff Proietti Wellness Foundation Inc. to continue to spread Jeff’s love for health & wellness by giving scholarships to high school students. This year we are planning our first annual fundraiser for the foundation by giving back to the community the love you showed us. Come join us for a fun run, walk, or ruck, share your story with us and help inspire more students with their passion for health & wellness. Go to https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Syracuse/RunForJeff and join us.