KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Until just recently, Katrina Scott had been planning to travel to Boston to run in the city’s famous marathon.
It would have been her second time running the race. And while some runners compete for a personal best, Scott’s reason runs much deeper.
“Everybody thinks it’s not going to happen to them or it’s not going to happen to their families,” Scott said.
Scott runs the race to raise money for Shatterproof, a nonprofit that expands awareness, education and therapy for drug addiction.
It’s a mission close to her heart. Five years ago, Scott’s close friend Gary Henson lost his 20-year-old son, Garrett, to an opioid overdose.
“He was a very laid-back, easy-going kid,” Scott said. “Everybody wanted to be his friend. Outdoorsy, he liked to ski.”
So last year, Scott made Shatterproof her charity cause in her first attempt at the Boston Marathon.
“Last year, I raised over $100,000 and this year, this is my second year going back to raise money for Shatterproof again, and I’m close to $200,000 at this point.”
The coronavirus pandemic means the Boston Marathon won’t happen until September at the earliest. While that’s not ideal, in most respects, Scott is looking at it as an opportunity to maximize her crusade against opioids.
“The thing I’m excited about is I’m still going to have another five months to fundraise.”
