Jack first started running as part of his practice routine with his high school lacrosse team, but he started running more seriously last year. For him, it became a fun way to explore New York City, and unwind after a long day of work.
He has completed a few longer runs before, but the NYC Half Marathon will be the first challenge of this kind. He is excited to join Team Answer the Call, and feels ready for race day!
The biggest challenge has been the shortened training timeline. When Jack first learned a spot on the team had opened up, he was in Hawaii. He tried to train there, but the terrain was full of hills, which made it difficult to stick to the training he would have preferred. Still, he hopes the hills and heat will end up helping him, even if the environment is very different from New York City.
Jack pushes himself to finish every run because he knows he can do it. For him, there’s no reason to give up when a little mental fortitude can get him to the finish line. While he’ll be running the race on his own, his family plans to be on the sidelines cheering him on.
Outside of running, Jack enjoys weightlifting, skateboarding, surfing, and learning how to play guitar. One of his college friends lives in Hawaii, so whenever he has time away from work, he tries to visit and hit the waves. As Jack says, “Surfing is tough to start, but once you catch your first wave and stand up, it keeps you coming back.”
Jack first learned about Answer the Call when he attended their Annual Gala in 2024. His parents were originally supposed to attnd, but when they couldn’t, he filled in for them. That experience introduced him to the wider Answer the Call community. He now proudly sits on the organization’s Host Committee, tasked with helping organize Answer the Call’s 13th Annual Red & Blue Soiree in May.
To the families served by Answer the Call, Jack shares this message:
“I’m sure they’re going through an extremely tough time. It means so much to be part of Answer the Call and to be able to help these families who mean so much to the real heart of New York City. These are the people who help every civilian live their day-to-day life, and without them, who knows what New York City would look like.”
We wish you the best of luck in the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half Marathon, Jack!
Click here to support Jack’s fundraising efforts!
Answer the Call’s 2026 Spring Intern, Robert Dewhurst, conducted this interview and wrote this blog post.
