Meet Chevis, Our August Most Inspiring Member

“Running teaches us to keep moving forward, one step at a time,
​especially in the most painful moments.” --Author Unknown

Our August KIND Most Inspiring Member is Chevis of Waconia (MN) Moms on the Run, who was named Most Inspiring Member of the Year at our annual celebration banquet on Aug. 26.

Chevis has inspired so many with her strength and perseverance in 2016, but it has come from such deep sadness.

In June, her 9-year-old son Daniel was at a pool party enjoying a birthday party when he was suddenly found unconscious in the shallow end of the pool. He was rushed to the hospital and after two days of hoping and praying for a miracle, Daniel passed away. His body was strong and resilient, but his brain had no activity.

“Just the week prior I was running alongside Chevis and she was telling me all about the family trip they had planned the next week,” said Waconia head coach Deb Lensing. “She was living a life just like the rest of our Moms on the Run -- planning vacations and enjoying the summer. But when Chevis lost her son, we all felt her pain, as losing a child is every mother’s worst nightmare."
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Lensing and the other Waconia MOTR teammates decided to dedicate a weeknight workout to Chevis by wearing green (Daniel’s favorite color) and sharing their photos in social media with the hashtags #MOTRstrong and #Run4Daniel. Next up was a local Fourth of July race, where the team again dressed in green and dedicated the miles to #Run4Daniel. Much to the surprise of Lensing and her team, Chevis and her husband, Dan, showed up in green to also run the race.

“This was just one week after the loss of their son,” Lensing added.

Chevis continued to inspire her teammates as well as other Moms on the Run locations by showing up for weekly workouts. She also kept her commitment to run the Ragnar Great River Relay, painting her toes green and inspiring everyone on her team to run through the night and fight the fatigue, hills, heat and humidity. The team crossed the finish line together, while keeping #Run4Daniel and #MOTRstrong top of mind.

Thank you, Chevis! You -- and through you, Daniel -- are true inspirations!

ABOUT KIND: Since its founding in 2004, KIND has been on a mission to make the world a little kinder one snack and one act at a time. #LiveKIND and do the right thing for your body, your taste buds & your world.™