On BRAVE Wings, We RISE
Fly Brave Foundation
Instagram at @runrunJohn Facebook at Run John Run Twitter at @flybrave4autism.
John is a phenomenal runner and athlete.
We found his gift of running in 2014 when we were out for a walk and stumbled upon a high school track. John experienced the normal pains of puberty and our evening strolls gave him a sense of calm. However, this time he was different. After running around that track several times, his anxiety lessened and instead of getting up throughout the night, he slept a full 8 hours uninterrupted.
John, Co-Founder
Special thanks to CBS13, Good Day Sac, ABC10, KCRA3, Fox40 and KNCI 105.1.
John's Media Coverage
I was 20 years old when John entered the world. I worked two jobs while going to college at night to build us a better life. John wasn't meeting the typical milestones and upon evaluation, was diagnosed at 18 months of age with autism. While he did not develop spoken word, he is more aware of the world around him than most of us. We climbed many mountains through childhood and puberty, and when the dust settled, adulthood was upon us. Adulthood brought about new challenges, continued supports after aging out of school.
In seeking continued supports for John following the school years, I was met with No's when applying for jobs with him. The social connections he had everyday were lost. His routine was now waiting for someone to call us back and offer him an opportunity. The reality was disappointing and discouraging.
I had two choices. I could have stayed in that discouraging state or I could do something about it. I decided to leave my career behind to build what was missing and in doing so, realized this was my calling all along.
I wake up every day with a grateful heart that I get to work alongside a group of amazing people who share the same vision in making a difference in the world.
Faith, hope and love have carried us everywhere.
Our Story
If you watched his story on the homepage of the website, you know how the rest of this story goes.
He is however still writing it.
What's next for John after running the Western States 100, the pinnacle race of his career?
The answer is this, becoming an Abbott World Majors 6-Star Finisher.
Boston, Chicago, NY, Berlin, London, Tokyo.
John has already completed Boston, Chicago and NY. He is registered and set to run Berlin on September 27, 2026.
In 2027, he hopes to take in Tokyo and London.
Would you like to sponsor him? Please reach out. He cannot do this without the support of others.
John has big dreams and he lives a big life. Watching him run and overcome challenges is a gift I thank God for every single day.
Thank you to everyone who joins hands with me in supporting his dreams and goals.