I am running to Protect Kids with Epilepsy and for my brother Ozzy

In 2023 my best friend whom I considered a brother suddenly passed away. His name is Osbaldo Nunez but he went by “Ozzy”. I miss Ozzy everyday and I wish I could have one more moment with him. I have always wanted to do something in his honor. Whether it was getting a tattoo of some of his famous phrases like “Bless you for Calling”, every time you would call him on the phone or getting his Luka Doncic jersey signed by Luka because that was his favorite NBA Basketball player. To finally dedicating my first ever Marathon to Ozzy. You see I have never been much of a runner until this year. I finally ran a half marathon in decent time and I fell in love with the sport of running. I want to prove to myself that anything is possible as long as you are willing to commit, be consistent and endure the journey. Coming across the Danny Did Foundation resonated with me because of Ozzy. I love what they stand for and believe their mission.

About Danny Did Foundation

Founded by Chicago parents Mike and Mariann Stanton in 2010 after the sudden death of their four-year-old son Danny, the Danny Did Foundations primary mission is to prevent deaths caused by seizures. The Foundation advances public awareness of epilepsy and Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), strives to improve communication about SUDEP between medical professionals and families affected by seizures, and advocates for the mainstream acceptance and use of seizure detection and prediction devices that may assist in preventing seizure-related deaths.

Epilepsy affects 3.4 million people in the United States and 65 million people worldwide. One in 26 Americans will develop epilepsy during their lifetime. But what few people understand, including many people with epilepsy, is that seizures can be fatal. More people die as a result of seizures than from fires and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) combined. In addition to deaths caused by drowning, other accidents, and status epilepticus (prolonged seizures), thousands of deaths occur annually from SUDEP, a fact that is little known and too rarely addressed by medical professionals and in public discussions of epilepsy. Danny Did Foundation takes its name from the last line of Danny Stanton’s obituary, written by his dad: “Please go and enjoy your life. Danny did.” We celebrate Danny’s spirit in every child and family we reach.