This Army veteran is running Boston to support military families

Brad Cassidy is running the 2026 Boston Marathon for Fisher House Boston.

Brad Cassidy is running the 2026 Boston Marathon. (Photo courtesy of Brad Cassidy)

January 30, 2026 | 2:06 PM

1 minute to read

In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon athletes share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. Looking for more race day content? Sign up for Boston.com’s pop-up Boston Marathon newsletter.

Name: Brad Cassidy
Age: 30
From: Westford

I’m running the 2026 Boston Marathon because I made myself a promise: no one who served should ever feel alone when they need help. Growing up in Westford, I watched the Marathon every year and witnessed a whole city show up for runners and for each other. That spirit, and the events of 2013, pushed me toward service and the desire to be part of something larger than myself.

After ROTC at UMass, I spent six years in the Army, including time as an Army Ranger with two deployments to Afghanistan. In those years, I saw people constantly go out of their way to help others, always reaching for the next challenge together. That kind of quiet, everyday courage stayed with me long after I hung up the uniform. I feel fortunate to have come back mostly intact, and that good fortune comes with a responsibility to support those who didn’t.

Many veterans now face long hospital stays and long-term health complications, visible and invisible. Their families serve in their own way too, sitting at bedsides, managing jobs and kids and bills while someone they love fights to recover. I think often of Vietnam veterans who came home to struggle and stigma, and I am determined that this generation will not face that alone.

That is why I’m running for Fisher House of Boston. They provide free lodging and logistical support so military members and their families can stay together while receiving care at top Boston-area hospitals, easing the burden of hotel and travel costs so they can focus on healing. By Marathon Monday, my goal is to raise $15,000 so more families can worry less about bills and more about recovery, and so my promise to fellow veterans becomes something they can feel, not just hear.

Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.

Are you running the 2026 Boston Marathon? Share your story with us.

Annie Jonas is a Community writer at Boston.com. She was previously a local editor at Patch and a freelancer at the Financial Times.

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