I wasn’t expecting to post again before the marathon, but we had a serendipitous experience yesterday that  we had to share.

Watt and Dad went fly fishing for trout on the Anton River, which is a lovely spot in the Test Valley. When it came time for lunch, their guide took them to the charming Royal Oak pub in the village of Goodworth Clatford.

In the menu, they found an insert advertising an upcoming fundraiser for Parkinson’s UK. Dad went up to the bar to learn more and found out the owner’s father had suffered from Parkinson’s for many years before passing away. Dad ultimately met the owners, Mike and Kate Lawton, and was able to explain our family’s connection to Parkinson’s and our plans for the marathon. It turns out that they have organized numerous fundraisers for Parkinson’s UK, and Kate is actually planning to run the marathon on Sunday as well.

Kate is an experienced marathoner, with 8 races under her belt. However, due to an injury, she decided not to run ‘for time’ this year and instead decided to run in “fancy dress.”

Kate is one of over 220 runners representing Parkinson’s UK who collectively are on track to raise more than $500,000.

Kate was excited to hear about our involvement in Team Fox, and she immediately called the Parkinson’s UK office to let them know about Watt and me. They agreed to adopt us as some of their own–they will be cheering for us on Sunday at 4 different cheering sections along the course. We’ve also been invited to their after-party, including food, drinks and massages.

All of us were stunned by the coincidence. The chances that Watt and Dad would be in this village pub, miles from London on a day when they were advertising their fundraiser is almost too much to believe. We all had tears in our eyes as Dad and Watt recounted the story. It’s just another way that we’re feeling Mom’s presence during this extraordinary journey.

Speaking of extraordinary, we have now raised $47,314, thanks to the generosity of almost countless donors. The miracles just keep on coming. Thank you.

For more information, check out our fundraising page