John Buscovich spends his shifts responding to other people's worst days. This November, the Marin County fire engineer paramedic is trading his turnout gear for running shoes, taking on 26.2 miles through New York City to raise money for the families first responders leave behind.
A Marathon With a Mission
Buscovich, who lives in Woodacre, California, is training for the TCS New York City Marathon on Nov. 1, a course that starts on Staten Island and finishes in Central Park. He's running for Answer the Call, a nonprofit that provides financial assistance and support to the families of New York City police officers, firefighters, and Port Authority officers killed in the line of duty, according to Local News Matters. The organization has been helping surviving families since shortly after 9/11, covering costs that range from mortgage payments to college tuition, per Answer the Call.
It's one of dozens of charity bibs that will cross the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge this fall as part of the TCS New York City Marathon's charity partner program, where thousands of runners each year turn a personal endurance goal into fundraising for a cause tied to their own life.
Running for a Reason He Knows Firsthand
Buscovich's motivation isn't abstract. His wife lost her father, a first responder, when she was young, and he's watched up close how that kind of loss follows a family for decades, not just years, the Local News Matters report notes. Rather than let that grief sit in the background, he decided to put his own fitness to work for other families facing the same hole, hoping the money he raises can help with something as concrete as a kid's education.
It's a reminder that the people who answer 911 calls for a living carry real weight off duty too, and that a marathon bib can be more than a personal challenge. For a working firefighter, training for 26.2 miles on top of a shift schedule takes real discipline, and doing it in someone else's name adds a layer of purpose that keeps the early morning runs from feeling optional.
Why Community Fundraising Runs Matter
Buscovich's run is a small example of a much bigger pattern: first responders and veterans across the country regularly turn to endurance events, not just to test themselves, but to support one another. Whether it's a hometown 5K benefiting a local department or a major-city marathon supporting a national nonprofit, these races give people a structured, physical outlet for grief, stress, and the weight of the job, plus a way to give something back to their own community.
A Cause Close to OWF's Mission
Stories like Buscovich's are exactly why Operation WarriorFit exists. Fitness gives first responders and veterans alike a concrete, physical way to process hard things, whether that's a 5K in their hometown or a marathon across the boroughs of New York City. If you're a veteran, service member, or first responder in California looking for a free entry to your own next race, browse races near you or check your eligibility to see how OWF can help get you to the starting line.