J is for Jim

Today I would like to share a very special person with you, my brother-in-law Jim. There were so many special things about Jim's life that I can not list them all here. I will write about some of the most powerful ways Jim impacted my life and gave me strength and courage to face what was ahead.

Almost four years ago, we found out that at age 38 our brother  had Leukemia. He was treated very quickly and aggresivly. This is where Jim became a hero to so many of us. He was so young and strong and fought with everything he had. Trial after trial he hung in there, when most people would not have been able to. In just 3 short months and one very courages battle, Jim went home to be with the Lord.

Jim taught us all how to love and give with everything we have. How to hold on and fight until God says "it's time". We witnessed suffering and miracles. We loved, laughed, cried and lost together.

Feeling so helpless we wanted to do something special to honor Jim's life. This was the beginning of "Team Ambo" and my start as a runner. Six of Jim's family members trained and ran the Dallas Half Marathon, including myself,my husband and son, Jim's wife, sister and brother-in-law. It was a bitter sweet race!

TEAM AMBO!

During training and only 4 months after we lost Jim I was diagnosed for the 2nd time with Stage 4 cancer. I don't think either my husband or I really ever considered not finishing what we had started. So, with the approval and support of my doctors I began treatment and continued training.

There were so many days that I had to pull from this experience with Jim. I would picture him in my mind when I was having trouble running and think about how strong he was and how hard he fought. "If Jim could go through what he endured I can do this"!  We lost our sweet Jim on April 26, 2007 and finished the race in November of 2007.
                      In memory of our hero.. James Patrick Minich...Ambo!

J is for JIM