Peggy Abundiz to Participate in This Year's Walnut Run

Peggy Abundiz will be participating in this year's Walnut Run. Please take a minute to learn her story, and join her at the starting line September 11th.

Peggy Abundiz married a decorated firefighter in the middle of Times Square, New York, on ABC’s Good Morning America on June 22, 2001, becoming GMA’s first bride. Now, Peggy has traded in her wedding shoes for fire boots, competing in races throughout the United States wearing an extra 50 pounds of firefighter gear to call attention to the high rates of cancer among firefighters and to represent Code 3 for a Cure, a national nonprofit 501(c)3 public charity that raises awareness about occupational cancer in the fire service and provides critical support to firefighters throughout the U.S. who are battling the disease. In wearing the fire gear (which includes turnout coat, turnout pants, fire helmet, boots, and air tank), Peggy represents her husband, Lorenzo Abundiz, Medal of Valor recipient and survivor of three different forms of occupational cancer, and other firefighters like him across the nation who cannot compete due to the after-effects of their cancer battles. During each race, Peggy carries her husband’s Medal of Valor in her turnout coat pocket as her source of strength and inspiration. Says Peggy (who is not a firefighter herself but has been deemed an honorary firefighter), “I’m really looking forward to participating in The Walnut Run to hopefully do my small part in helping the critically important cause of supporting our local schools.” Peggy will be dedicating her race to all who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks on America on September 11, 2001, and to all who have lost their lives since due to the cancers and other diseases resulting from it.

To join Peggy on September 11 and help raise money for Walnut Creek schools, register online.