Stories and Songs at the HCA: A Night to Remember

Wow, what a performance! Last Friday night, the Hopkinton Center for the Arts (HCA) was buzzing with energy. Kim Chisholm, Executive Director of the 26.2 Foundation, came up with the idea for the first Stories and Songs program. Kelly Grill, Executive Director of HCA, organized the event. The collaboration between the two made the event a tremendous success.

>> RELATED: Stories and Songs: Boston Marathon Inspiring Performances Presented by the 26.2 Foundation and HCA

All five speakers shared their unique and inspiring stories. They discussed the challenges they overcame on their journey to run the Boston Marathon. It was an emotional, uplifting, entertaining, and truly fun evening.

After each speaker’s talk, the Hot Acoustics performed the speaker’s favorite song, which represents the speaker’s journey to the Boston Marathon.

Ilana Casady

Ilana Casady spoke about her near-fatal automobile accident in Australia. It left her with a number of injuries. A severe closed head brain injury, and a broken arm that required a plate to hold it together, to start. Combine that with collapsed lungs, the loss of a carotid artery, a broken ear bone, and the loss of sight in her left eye. And that’s just what I could remember.

After waking up from a medically induced 10-day coma, it took her nearly two years to fully recover. Many of us have known Casady for years. Yet we had no idea she had triumphed over such a tragic event.

Casady chose “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten. Who doesn’t love that song?

Adina Crawford

Adina Crawford spoke of being unhealthy at 300 pounds. Her husband inspired her to finally do something about it. Her running journey began with Fleet Feet. Then, she found her community when she joined Black Girls Run. They inspired her to keep going, and keep going she did!

She ran races, became a yoga instructor, and ran two marathons. Not only did she incorporate yoga into her physical training regimen, but she also found it helped her mind. She credits yoga for teaching her to close “all the mental tabs” in her brain. Crawford uses her voice to lift others up with her yoga, meditation, and self-discovery work.

Crawford is an Ambassador for Brooks Running, Black Girls Run, Terry Bikes, Honeystinger, and Nuun. She’s also the emcee for Girls on the Run DC and an REI Co-op Partner. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Black Girls Run Foundation.

I spoke with Crawford after the show. She has a captivating presence that naturally draws people to her. Crawford shared her excitement about being invited by the Boston Athletic Association to lead a yoga practice for runners. She was thrilled to have the opportunity before last year’s marathon, and she’s doing it again this year!

Crawford chose “Fly Like an Eagle” from the Steve Miller Band as her song.

Akeem Lloyd

Akeem Lloyd recounted his journey through a challenging childhood. After earning a master’s degree, he found himself homeless, sleeping in a Philadelphia train station. He joined Black Men Run, which helped him recognize the value of community. This inspired him to transform his life, leading to remarkable achievements, including authoring a book and founding companies. He also delivered a TEDx talk and ran the Boston Marathon. He has used his experiences to inspire others.

Lloyd shared a hilarious story about an English teacher who pushed him to work hard. He thought the teacher was just picking on him and was relieved to leave the teacher behind after eighth grade. Much to his dismay, he ended up having the same teacher two more times before graduation. Ultimately, he came to appreciate the demanding instructor. He was grateful for those three years of challenge, even if he didn’t recognize it then.

Lloyd chose “Rise Up” by Andra Day as his song. Pianist and singer Rachel McKenzie, a teacher and staff member at the HCA, performed the number to a standing ovation.

Kevin Clancy and Chad Larivee

Kevin Clancy spoke about his wife’s cousin, retired Taunton firefighter Chad Larivee. Larivee became quadriplegic after a tragic fall from a roof while off duty. He was unable to attend Friday’s event because he was recovering from an illness. True to form, Grill and Chisholm found a way by setting up FaceTime so he could watch Clancy speak.

Pushing Larivee in the marathon carried a tremendous amount of responsibility. Due to his injuries, Larivee can’t regulate his body temperature very well. During the race last year, that meant Clancy needed to bring extra blankets along to make sure he stayed warm. When the weather hit 70 degrees, that brought its own set of challenges.

After the performance, I spoke with Clancy about the course. There are many places where one could fall, including the railroad tracks in Cleveland Circle. More than one wheelchair athlete has fallen there after getting their wheel stuck in the tracks. That’s just the beginning. Clancy had to be prepared for anything, so he brought medicine and medical equipment for many just-in-case scenarios. Last year, Clancy did so much more than to “simply” push 200 pounds through a 26.2-mile hilly course.

The Clancy-Larivee team chose “Seven Nation Army” by the White Stripes as their song.

Russ Hoyt

Russ Hoyt shared the origin of Team Hoyt’s mantra, “Yes, you can.” It started when his mother, Judy Hoyt, comforted his father, Dick Hoyt, at the hospital. Dick worried about caring for their newborn and severely disabled son, Rick. That life-changing phrase became a motto for the family for the rest of Dick and Rick Hoyt’s lives.

The school system told Judy Hoyt that they couldn’t allow Rick to attend public school. Judy made it clear: “Yes, you can.” Judy’s persistence ultimately led to changes in legislation, including Massachusetts’ Chapter 766 law. This served as a blueprint for federal special education legislation.

Judy Hoyt’s advocacy made it possible for Rick to be educated with peers who were not disabled. Simarily, when Rick asked if he could go to college, Dick simply said, “Yes, you can.” Rick Hoyt became the first nonspeaking quadriplegic to graduate from Boston University.

Hoyt chose “Free Bird” as his song. Why? Rick Hoyt told his dad what crossing the Boston Marathon finish line felt like to him. He felt like an eagle soaring through the sky. Together, they achieved this incredible feat 32 times. During the Hot Acoustics’ incredible rendition of “Free Bird,” the audience stood with their phones overhead, flashlights glowing.

Everyone left the HCA on Friday night with a new perspective on the heroes all around us. The adversity that these folks overcame on their way to run the Boston Marathon is nothing short of astounding. Bravo, Kelly Grill and Kim Chisholm!