2008 Woodie Awards
In the spotlight: Brown earns gold for compassion
Samantha Marinko
Issue date: 3/14/08 Section: Features
In 1970 the runners faced a massive snow storm.
In 1967 they trudged through torrential downpour.
In 2004 they went head to head with 80 degree heat.
The 2007 Boston Marathon was just as unpredictable. The marathon runners were not surprised when Mother Nature threw a curve ball and it ended up being less than 40 degrees; among those runners was Derek Brown.
Sophomore Derek Brown, at the age of 18, ran the Boston Marathon, his second of three marathons.
Brown didn't begin running marathons for fun, he didn't do it to get in shape, he didn't do it for the pride and he didn't do it for himself; he did it for his brother.
Brown's younger brother, Austin, at the age of three, was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis (NF).
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders Web site, NF is a genetic disorder of the nervous system that primarily affects the development and growth of nerve cell tissues. The disorder may cause tumors to grow on nerves and produce other abnormalities.
Brown first got into running marathons when he was 17 years old. His father, Jeff, was planning to run the Chicago Marathon on an NF team to help raise money for a cure and to create awareness of the condition. Brown said that his father was the one who really encouraged him to run in the marathon, and with his brother as his inspiration, he ran - all 26.2 miles.
So far Brown has raised about $4,000 for his brother and NF by running marathons. May 25 he will run his fourth, at the Vermont City Marathon, with a set goal of $1,000.
"This is part of who I am," said Brown, but that's not all there is to him.
Brown is majoring in psychology and although he is unsure of what the future has in store for him, he said that perhaps teaching is a career path he may want to explore.
"I love kids," said Brown.
Brown has recently developed a love for piano, as well. He is minoring in music and he began piano lessons last year. His latest pieces to be learned are "Layla" by Eric Clapton and "A Whole New World" from Disney's "Aladdin," which he says is partly "for the ladies."
In 1967 they trudged through torrential downpour.
In 2004 they went head to head with 80 degree heat.
The 2007 Boston Marathon was just as unpredictable. The marathon runners were not surprised when Mother Nature threw a curve ball and it ended up being less than 40 degrees; among those runners was Derek Brown.
Sophomore Derek Brown, at the age of 18, ran the Boston Marathon, his second of three marathons.
Brown didn't begin running marathons for fun, he didn't do it to get in shape, he didn't do it for the pride and he didn't do it for himself; he did it for his brother.
Brown's younger brother, Austin, at the age of three, was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis (NF).
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders Web site, NF is a genetic disorder of the nervous system that primarily affects the development and growth of nerve cell tissues. The disorder may cause tumors to grow on nerves and produce other abnormalities.
Brown first got into running marathons when he was 17 years old. His father, Jeff, was planning to run the Chicago Marathon on an NF team to help raise money for a cure and to create awareness of the condition. Brown said that his father was the one who really encouraged him to run in the marathon, and with his brother as his inspiration, he ran - all 26.2 miles.
So far Brown has raised about $4,000 for his brother and NF by running marathons. May 25 he will run his fourth, at the Vermont City Marathon, with a set goal of $1,000.
"This is part of who I am," said Brown, but that's not all there is to him.
Brown is majoring in psychology and although he is unsure of what the future has in store for him, he said that perhaps teaching is a career path he may want to explore.
"I love kids," said Brown.
Brown has recently developed a love for piano, as well. He is minoring in music and he began piano lessons last year. His latest pieces to be learned are "Layla" by Eric Clapton and "A Whole New World" from Disney's "Aladdin," which he says is partly "for the ladies."
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