Niagara Gazette

Local News

Related Photos

  • Niagara Falls Police Officers are participating in the Run For Our Sons marathon in Rochester. From left are, Lt. Dave Kok, Detectives Joe Paul, Thomas Ewing, Lorrie Alvarez Kathy Stack, Crime Scene Unit Officer Shawn Arndt, Police Dispatcher Angela Bonaccorso and Police Officers Miranda DalPorto and Tina Zell. Inset: Joshua Arndt who passed away in November 2009 from Duchenne muscular dystrophy. James Neiss, staff photographer

    Marathon.illus.jpg

  • Joshua Arndt handles the ceremonial coin toss for the 2008 Niagara Falls Police Department versus Fire Department Charity Football game. The game was played to benefit the fight against Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

    NFPDvsNFFD.1.jpg
September 8, 2010

Falls police are ready to ‘Run for a Son’

By Rick Pfeiffer Niagara Gazette

NIAGARA FALLS — He had sparkling eyes, a smile that could light up a room and a personality that belied his age.

  Everyone who met little Joshua Arndt came away from the encounter with a warm memory.

So it’s probably no surprise that some 10 months after he passed away, a group of the Falls finest and some other friends will journey east down the Thruway this weekend for the Run For Our Sons program in the Rochester Marathon.

The run looks to raise critically important funds for research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the most common lethal genetic disorder diagnosed during early childhood today. It was Duchenne that took Joshua’s life at the age of just 4.

“It’s important to raise awareness for this devastating disease and to give our boys and their families hope,” said Joshua’s dad, Falls Police Crime Scene Unit Officer Shawn Arndt.

Duchenne affects approximately 1 out of every 3,500 boys and 20,000 babies born each year. Currently, there are only limited treatments available to the children who are stricken by it and there is no known cure.

The Run For Our Sons started off as a dream of the Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, a national nonprofit organization founded by the parents of children with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy. The program has over 300 runners who participate in six major marathons and half marathons across the including the Disney and New York City marathons.

Team NFPD, which will compete in the Rochester event on Sunday, is made up of eight Falls police officers and detectives, two assistant Niagara County district attorneys, a police dispatcher, a 911 operator and a family friend.

Officer Tina Zell is the team co-captain.

“I’ve been running for a while,” Zell said, “and I thought it would be good to run for a cause.”

Unlike Zell and Detective Lorrie Alvarez, Detective Kathy Stack said she is not an experienced runner. That didn’t keep her from signing up though.

“So why am I doing this?” Stack said with a laugh, “It’s because of Josh. I’m a parent. I like the name, Run For Our Sons.”

Arndt and his wife, Jessica, have been deeply involved with the Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy since Joshua was first diagnosed with Duchenne. He said the support he’s seen for the marathon is deeply moving.

“It really means a lot to me, the support I’m getting from everyone” Arndt said. “But they’re not just helping our family, they are helping thousands of boys that need someone to run for them.”

Arndt said as he and Jessica were looking for ways to help raise awareness and research on Duchenne, folks at the Parent Project suggested a marathon event.

“There were a lot of people who wanted to get involved and when I spoke to (Zell) she took off with (the idea),” Arndt said. “There’s not much understanding about (Duchenne) and in order to learn more they need funds for research.”

For some of the members of Team NFPD, the marathon is a way to add a good cause to their regular running routine.

“I (ran) when I was in the service and I got back into it a couple of years ago,” Detective Tom Ewing said. “Shawn is a part of our family in (the Criminal Investigation Division), so whatever we can do in Josh’s memory, we’ll do.”

Detective Joe Paul is also a veteran runner who says he’s looking forward to the run.

“I thought it would be a great way to show my support for Shawn,” Paul said. “It’s an honor to run for Josh.”

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local News
Featured Ads
Seasonal Content
House Ads
AP Video
Pop Music Superstar Whitney Houston Dies at 48 Police: Houston Found Dead in Her Hotel Room Paul Suffers Narrow Loss to Romney in Maine Recording Superstar Whitney Houston Dead at 48 Maine GOP Chairman Says Romney Wins Caucuses Palin Brings Anti-Washington Message to CPAC Obama Scraps Birth Control Mandate US Airmen's Killer Sentenced to Life in Germany Navy Names Ship for Gabrielle Giffords Raw Video: Deadly Blasts in Syria Romney Slams President Obama at CPAC Gingrich: Pres. Obama 'waging War on Religion' 5 Killed in Wrong-way Crash on I-10 in La. Uzbek Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Kill Obama Denver's Largest-Ever Drug Bust Nets Dozens Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal $25B Settlement Reached Over Foreclosure Abuses
Opinion
House Ads
Night & Day
Twitter News
Follow us on twitter
Follow me on Twitter
Hyperlocal Search
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Popular Searches
Powered by Local.com
Front page
Poll

Do you think cigarette sales to non-Native American customers should be taxed on reservations?

Yes. Items should be taxed like they are everywhere else.
No, the indian reservations are sovereign land and they are selling them on their land.
Not up to me. Native Americans decide the rules on their land.
Don't care. Smoking isn't good for you.
     View Results