Grayslake man thinking of dad with every marathon stride
If Sean Ferrell had one wish, it would be to see his dad cured of Parkinson's disease.
Knowing that's not possible, Ferrell's decided to run the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C., in tribute to his father, a former Marine.
"If I could change one thing in this world, it would be to give my dad his health back and find a cure for all the other sufferers," Ferrell said.
Ferrell, 42, will run the 26.2-mile route on Oct. 25. He said he's dedicating each of those miles to the man he admires above all. Sponsored by family and friends, he'll donate the funds to the Michael J. Fox Foundation. The New York-based group works to find a cure for Parkinson's.
Don Ferrell, 66, served in the Marine Corps from 1965 to 1973. He's been battling Parkinson's for 30 years. He was forced to leave his job as a salesman for the Campbell's Soup Company because of the ailment. The Moline man was only 39 when he was diagnosed.
Parkinson's typically strikes those 60 years and older.
"He's doing pretty well physically, but his biggest challenge has been the mental stress he's under," Sean Ferrell said. "I know he's self-conscious about it. He struggles to do the things we all take for granted. He's dealing with a lot of loss."
This will be Ferrell's first marathon. The Grayslake resident and dean at Libertyville High School has been training for weeks and said he feels confident heading into the event.
Ferrell said his mom Carol has been a champion through it al and he is dedicating the run to her as well.
"My marathon will honor my mom for her unending devotion in taking care of my father," he said. "It has not been easy on her, yet she continues to show incredible loyalty, toughness and unconditional love."
Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder that causes shaking, stiffness, trouble with balance and can affect speech too, according to the Florida-based National Parkinson's Foundation.
The disease affects men and women in equal numbers. An estimated 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the United States. About 1 million people currently have the disease. Medicine and surgery can help the symptoms, but there is no cure.
Ferrell coaches freshman football and varsity baseball at Libertyville. He's been an athlete his whole life and said his dad was his biggest supporter.
"My dad has always been there for me," Ferrell said. "He was always at my baseball games growing up. He was in my life as much as he could."
Ferrell said he's still learning lessons from his father.
"Through this whole thing, my dad has taught me that even though we can't control the circumstances in our lives, we can control our response to them," Ferrell said. "He never complains and stands for a strong symbol of dignity."