Although he doesn’t consider himself a serious runner, this year’s New York City Marathon will mark Joe’s third marathon. He was inspired to begin running through his sisters, who both ran in college, and his high school track coach who inspired him.
Joe is running for Answer the Call because of his family’s connection to public service. His grandfather was a volunteer firefighter on Long Island, and his cousin James is an FDNY firefighter.
When marathon training gets challenging, he reminds himself “You don’t have to, you get to.” That reminder helps him appreciate the opportunity to push himself. Outside of running, Joe enjoys traveling, attending concerts, spending time with family, and supporting Answer the Call by serving on the organization’s Associate Committee. 
He says that being able to run in support of the families Answer the Call serves is an honor and he wants to thank first responders for their sacrifices and contributions to making New York City a safer place.
We are so excited to have Joe running on Team Answer the Call and can’t wait to cheer him on in November!
Click here to support Joe’s fundraising efforts!
Answer the Call’s 2026 Summer Intern, Sarah Catalano, conducted this interview and wrote this blog post.
