Marin Firefighter To Run Marathon To Support Families Of Fallen First Responders

MARIN COUNTY, CA — For Marin County firefighter paramedic John Buscovich, training for the New York City Marathon is about more than crossing the finish line.

Buscovich is using the 26.2-mile challenge to raise money for Answer the Call, a nonprofit that provides financial assistance and support to the families of firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty.

“If the unfortunate ever happens and we die in the line of duty, our pain, our suffering is over. But something I’ve learned from my wife, who lost her father at a young age, was that void never really goes away," he said. "And if running this marathon can help those family members financially, whether it’s with education or any means just to lessen that burden, that’s really what spoke to me about Answer the Call.”

Once he hits his fundraising goal, Buscovich will run the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon on Nov. 1 — one of the largest marathons in the world, with more than 59,000 finishers last year.

“I’m not running this marathon to get a personal best or a qualifying time for another marathon," he said. "I’m running this to raise money for Answer the Call and to help these first responder families.”

The effort comes during Firefighter Appreciation Month, observed each September to recognize the dedication and sacrifices of firefighters and their families.

“It doesn’t matter the department you work for, the jurisdiction you work for, if something happens to one of us, we kind of all feel it, and we all come together to support each other,” Buscovich said.