Dream Ride: Goshen woman will race in Logan's Run
On August 5th, some of the best runners in Michiana will toe the line and race to raise funds for the Logan Center, which supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
One of those athletes is a first time runner from Goshen, 26-year-old DeShauntae “Snookie” Williams.
By definition, an athlete is a person who is trained in, or good at sports or exercises that require physical skill and strength.
Although Snookie is bound to her wheelchair, that doesn’t define her.
“This is my first time participating in the race, and I’m very excited,” said Snookie.
Sheila Miller, Snookie’s mother, gave birth to Snookie at just 27 weeks.
“She kept having fetal distress and then she was doing fine. Then she had a hemorrhage. It wasn’t until (age) 3 that they diagnosed her with CP,” said Sheila.
Cerebral Palsy affects more than 200 thousand people each year, and affects muscles and a person’s ability to control them.
Snookie has never been able to walk.
Just three years ago she started going to the Logan Center in South Bend, and now she takes her best friend, Teddy.
Nancy Miller works at Logan Center.
“She gets the thrill of being in the race with the other runners crossing the finish line and feeling the speed of a 10k race. It’s really exciting,” said Miller.
On August 5th, eight runners, including Fleet Feet owner Brett Albers, will take turns over the course of the 3.1 miles pushing Snookie in a specialized chair and cross the finish line.
“When the Logan Center approached us we thought it was a great way to connect with the community. Its means a lot,” said Albers.
“Everybody’s dreams are different, so for her to accomplish her dreams it means everything. And for the community to come out, if they didn’t have funding or centers, most kids with disabilities would be staying home,” said Sheila.
If we are all defined by something, a skill, a strength, an accomplishment, then Snookie Williams sets the gold standard.
Registration for Logan’s Run on August 5th at Notre Dame is open until race day. Click here to register.