When the title ‘Run Your Story’ was laid on our hearts, our family knew it was a gift. It was a gift because our family has a history of wanting to know people’s stories. And today seems like another gift to share a story.
12 years ago, the world grew a little darker for our family as we said goodbye to a world changer and our favorite redhead, Jamie Gaillard. Jamie fought the hardest fight of her life against leukemia; and frankly, cancer stinks. Jamie gave our family a beautiful gift, there was nothing more the doctors could do, and she wanted to have one last Christmas with us, and so we did just that. We played cards, we laughed, and we opened presents all in her hospital room. In our eyes, Jamie was going to go home because she was in great spirits. What we didn’t know was that just a few days later she would be in hospice, and not going home with us.
I watched as this amazing and very talented young woman would impact those who came to visit her. Friends would wear sunglasses in her room because “puppy dog tears” were not allowed. Friends would go into her room expecting to lift her spirits, pray over her, and take her burdens, and yet that is what she did for them. It was incredible to watch Jamie take on cancer, treatments, and the breaking news that there was nothing more that could be done.
One of Jamie’s friends shared a beautiful story about Jamie which has led us to here, this very moment. Anytime Jamie met someone, she would say to them “Tell Me A Story” that was her way of getting to know them, to understand them, and find common ground with them. And this is the whole mission of ‘Run Your Story’, to share your run/walk stories, to help our community deepen, to help be a resource for anyone wanting to start their own run/walk journey, and to find common ground
I also would like to think that Jamie would be tickled to see her sister-in-law as a podcaster because Jamie was a television producer. I could only imagine the resources and guidance Jamie would be giving us. When ‘Run Your Story’ came to me, it was more than the title of our podcast and training program, it was a gift. It was a way to honor Jamie’s legacy. It took us a few days for us to really understand that. And now it is something that I will treasure because it is a priceless gift from one of the most beautiful people in the world. Her story is part of our story, and your stories become part of Run Your Story.
Thank you so much for sharing this. You share your heart and write so well. Jamie would be proud of you for sure. We are proud of you!