Chicago Marathoner from Westmont raises $26k for March of Dimes in honor of stillborn daughter

Not running the Chicago Marathon due to an injury wasn’t an option for Justin Hearld. His wife was 37 weeks and two days pregnant when their world turned upside down with the devastating news that their second daughter would be stillborn.

Grief-stricken, the Westmont couple went into survival mode.

“I was frustrated, angry and needed to find an outlet, so I decided to go for a run — which wasn’t the norm for me,” Hearld said. “It was cathartic though because it gave me time to process what happened, and it helped me feel a bond with my daughter, like I was taking every step for her.”

This new outlet for his grief coincided with the timing of last year’s Chicago Marathon. It sparked the idea to run the 2026 Chicago Marathon in memory of his daughter.

Upon signing up, it was important to him that he chose a meaningful charity partner. That’s why he selected March of Dimes, an organization that brings awareness to maternal and infant health.

This gave him just one year to go from the occasional jog to running 26.2 miles. Hearld followed a popular training platform that gradually builds one’s running skills. But even slowly building up his mileage led to overuse injuries.

Hearld was referred to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital Sports Medicine Physician Dr. Spencer Kirk.

Throughout the last year, Hearld saw Dr. Kirk for overuse injuries — first for his ankle and then for his knee. Hearld insisted that he had to run the marathon, even when Dr. Kirk graciously tried to give him permission to step away because of his injuries.

“I told him I’d hear him out on his medical advice but, ultimately, I’m going to cross that finish line even if it takes me crawling on my hands and knees,” Hearld explained, which was met with compassion and understanding from Dr. Kirk.

From there, Dr. Kirk recommended strategies that would set Hearld up to safely accomplish his goal. Each appointment, Dr. Kirk ruled out extensive injuries with on-site diagnostic imaging. He also recommended physical therapy, training modifications and sometimes periods of rest to keep each specific injury well managed.

This expertise proved useful when Hearld came into Dr. Kirk’s office just one week before the Oct. 11 marathon with a hip injury.

“We had to get creative with his treatment plan since the race was only a week out, but that’s what sports medicine is all about,” Dr. Kirk said. “We have expertise in a wide range of injuries so we can help our patients safely continue their active lifestyle, prevent future injuries, treat current injuries and, most importantly, reach their goals.”

And Hearld did just that. He crossed the marathon finish line — honoring his daughter’s memory and raising over $26,000 for March of Dimes.

“My biggest piece of advice for anyone jumping into running and feeling these aches or pains starting to surface would be to address injuries before they become severe with the help of a sports medicine expert,” Hearld said. “And my biggest piece of advice for navigating grief is finding an outlet so you aren’t trying to manage it alone or internalize it. For me, it was running, but it could also be a support group or resources through organizations like March of Dimes.”