Pietro’s Fight – a local organization dedicated to funding Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) research and finding a cure – hosted its second annual 5K, “The Second Heat,” on Saturday, September 12.
“We had an absolutely amazing day with weather to match,” lauded Ridgeite Dayna Scarso, founder of Pietro’s Fight and loving mother of five-year-old Pietro Scarso, a bright-eyed boy fighting the good fight against DMD. “We had close to 400 walkers, strollers, runners and participants who got to spend the day along the scenic 69th Street Pier.”
This year, Scarso went one step further.
“This year, Pietro wanted to walk it,” said Scarso who carried her little boy – who couldn’t walk the route himself – from start to finish. “I said, ‘Are you sure you don’t want to go back and give all the runners a high five?’ and he said, ‘I’m not cheating. We have to finish.’”
This year’s 5K – which raised almost $25,000 – joins Pietro’s Fight’s fellow fundraising efforts in supporting Etepserlin, a drug the Scarso family says will provide treatment for Pietro as well as 17 percent of the DMD population.
“Everyone who crossed the finish line gives us the much-needed support and boost to push forward and continue our fight,” stressed Scarso, praising the hard work of all those who helped make Pietro’s Fight to the Finish’s Second Heat a success, and a laundry list of sponsors including Harbor Fitness, Stepping Stones, Bay Ridge Honda, Bay Ridge Volvo, Bay Ridge Volkswagen, Investor’s Bank, and more.
Matthew Acquista of CKO Bay Ridge was the first to cross the finish line.