VH’s Run-draiser
A nonprofit fundraiser supporting
Spam FC Scholarship FoundationVan is running his first 5K since being sick and hospitalized in October 2025.
$7,755
raised by 47 people
$10,500 goal
Thank You
It has been about 26 hours since I finished my 5K! Despite just planning to finish, I outperformed my expectations, completing the race in 38 minutes and 47 seconds at a 10-minute, 48-second pace. I was exhausted, inspired, and grateful that my body continues to get stronger, allowing me to push my limits with each step.
Before the race, I was nervous. My knee was a little stiff, so I went to the gym and jogged very slowly on the treadmill for 10 minutes, followed by some light leg lifts. I felt much better after that warmup, but then I sat at work all day. Once I wrapped up my last meeting at 4:30 PM, I grabbed a Citi Bike and rode to Central Park to meet up with the Bank of America crew, pick up my bib, and join the other 20,000 people in a very stop-and-go line to reach the starting line. That walk took longer than the actual race! Along the way, I met some really interesting, funny people. We shared laughter and lighthearted frustration regarding the long wait.
Once we got to the starting line, they had us do a quick stretch and let us loose like a herd of hungry cows, and we were hungry, because the race started at about 8:00 PM. In those first few steps, I felt incredibly grateful to be back to doing what I love. Going from being able to walk only 250 steps at a time before getting winded to being able to process thoughts like that while trying my best to move feels surreal. Looking around, people of all shapes, sizes, and fitness levels were out there for their own reasons. I was just happy to be one of them.
Lost in the moment, I crossed the mile 1 marker, smiled, and thanked my body. Then came a downhill, followed by the grueling "forever hill." It was tough, but I kept repeating to myself, “You got this, Brodie! It's just another jog in the park.” I made myself laugh while trying to catch my breath because it really was just a “jog in the Park.” At the top, I decided to let gravity take me down the hill and catch my breath as I went. I went up and down a few more hills, and then I crossed the 3-mile marker.
With about half a mile to go, I called my wife, Tamara, on FaceTime. With her voice on speakerphone, she cheered, “¡Vamos! We love you, Papa! ¡Te queremos!” I maintained my breathing pattern and gave it my all. Soma was also on the call, though she was mostly confused, asking, “¿Por qué está corriendo, Papá? Why is Papa running?” My wife, my biggest cheerleader, kept cheering, "We love you! We are so proud of you!" I couldn’t reply, but I kept them on the phone and gave it everything I had until I crossed the finish line.
I thought I’d be more emotional when I crossed, but I wasn’t. I was tired and hungry, but incredibly happy to have finished the race under my own strength. Once I caught my breath, I found my friend Sathish and crushed a banh mi sandwich, two pickles, 1.5 chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, and a yellow Gatorade. Afterward, we grabbed a Citi Bike and headed back to Harlem through the park under clear skies, a warm, beautiful night for a ride.
When I got home, I crashed until morning. When I woke up, I saw a string of texts from my sister, Sarah, and the "Spamily" with photos of them wearing "Spam FC 5K Run / Walk 2026" shirts. Seeing that nearly made me teary. This 5K was a personal journey to prove to myself that I am getting stronger and staying committed to getting healthy. But as much as it is a personal journey, my friends and family have been incredibly supportive in their own ways. For that, I am deeply grateful.
When I started this, I intended to raise $3,500. On the first day, Alan and Lollie donated $3,500 and said, "Double your goal!" So I raised it, and within a month, we had more than doubled my initial target. In total, we are sitting at $7,755. That moved me to tears because it is not about the dollars; it is about the support and belief in me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being such a supportive and powerful force in my community!
One day, I was running 14 miles around Central Park; a few days later, I couldn't even lift my head off the pillow. For the next week, I battled high fevers day and night. After seeing no improvement, I went to Urgent Care twice, but their tests found nothing.
Still feeling terrible, I went to the ER. At first, they thought it was Shingles, but the antivirals didn't help. When I returned a few days later, a CT scan revealed a liver abscess the size of a coconut. I was immediately admitted to the hospital for two weeks.
On the first day, they inserted a tube through my rib cage to drain the infection. The procedure was smooth, but the aftermath was awful. My body developed an ileus, a painful condition where the digestive system stops working, because of the foreign object in my abdomen. It was the worst pain I had ever experienced.
Two weeks passed where I couldn't eat or drink. I lost 15–20 pounds and my energy was so low I could barely get out of bed. My pregnant wife, mom, sister, and mother-in-law were by my side every day. All I could do was look at them, try to smile, and then drift back to sleep from the heavy pain medication.
The first nine days were absolute hell. After two weeks, I was sent home with antibiotics and a drainage bag. Over the next three weeks, I slowly regained some energy and managed to walk down the hallway of my apartment. However, a follow-up scan broke my heart: they found two more infections in my lungs and pelvic area. I was sent back to the hospital for another week.
I hit rock bottom mentally.
I’ve always considered myself a strong person, but this felt like the limit. Finally, the day before Thanksgiving, a scan showed improvement, and I was allowed to go home. I stayed on strong antibiotics until mid-February, unable to work out or feel like myself.
While I was home with my wife and daughter, my mind was elsewhere. It didn’t feel fair that my pregnant wife had to endure so much while I spiraled into a dark place. But she reminded me to be grateful that I was still here. She brought light to our lives by making Christmas special with decorations and songs, and a few days later, our superhero, our rock, our MVP delivered our second daughter right in our living room as she planned.
It has been a long, dark road, but I am finally making progress. I am walking more and moving my body again. I’m not back to running 14 miles or playing soccer yet, but I am living without physical pain and enjoying my growing family.
I want to turn this scary experience into something positive. Because I’m working on my physical health, I’ve signed up for a 5K through work on May 27, 2026. I’m turning this into a "Run-draiser" to support the Spam FC Scholarship Foundation.
My goals:
Finish the 5K (walk, jog, or crawl 😭)
Raise $3,500 for the Spam FC Scholarship Foundation
I hope you’ll consider donating to my Run-draiser!
With Khmer New Year falling on April 14–16 this year, I’m ready to leave this nightmare behind. I’m looking forward to a fresh start with my girls, my extended family, and all of you by my side in whatever way possible.