I'm honored to be running my second marathon at the NYC Marathon with Friends of Firefighters!
My Dad, Will Rolfe, has been on the job since 1992 and is currently a Lieutenant Firefighter in Concord, MA. My brother, Zach Rolfe, has been on the job since 2015 and is currently a Firefighter/Paramedic in Burlington, MA.
I have seen, first hand, the toll this job can take on someone's mental health. There are sights, scenes, and incidents that firefighters are subject to that are completely unfathomable to me. There’s a stigma which encourages them to get back to work. This cycle results in first responders harboring their thoughts and feelings which can have grueling effects.
My Dad suffered those consequences. He went through a mental health crisis in summer 2024, which required him to seek counseling and support through a multi-day inpatient program. He was open and honest with us, his family, as to what he was going through. He set an example for Zach and I that it is okay to ask for help and that when you keep things bottled up, those feelings can compound and wreck havoc on your mental health and relationships with others. I am unbelievably proud of my Dad for all the work he has done to not only get better, but to look out for his fellow brothers and sisters on the job.
I am so proud of my Dad and Brother for putting their lives on the line for their work. They are the reason why I am running with Friends of Firefighters.
