The Thing About Derek

Many of you have been following the journey of Derek Fitzgerald. Derek is a Philadelphia area cancer survivor and a heart transplant recipient who has turned obstacle into opportunity, and limitation into victory.

I first met Derek 4 years ago through The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program where as a survivor living with chronic leukemia, I get much joy in coaching their triathlon program. Derek had been training for his first half marathon and we were connected at the race expo in Philly. His enthusiasm impressed me. And as he talked about his future goals in the endurance sports world, his dreams impressed me as well. I would quickly learn that Derek’s dreams were not dreams at all. They were calculated and well thought out plans.

As a guy who has raced over a dozen ironman triathlons and at that time 24 marathons, those kind of accomplishments don’t typically impress me very easily. But Derek impressed me. I think it was the pure joy and excitement that he radiated having been given a third chance in life.

Derek’s race resume continued to grow from century rides, to marathons, and ultimately to the ironman. I had the pleasure of coaching Derek when he again came through our Team in Training’s triathlon program. And we’ve had the opportunity to work together or support one another on a number of initiatives in the blood cancer community.

Most recently, Derek was given the golden opportunity to represent Team in Training at the Ironman World Championship in Kona. Derek represented and did so with pride. He represented TNT. He represented Penn Medicine. He represented himself. He represented his amazingly supportive family. And most importantly, he represented the one person who has made it all possible. A person he will never know, but one Derek has made it his mission to honor – his donor.

So the thing about Derek is that he has accomplished all  this with a quiet and unassuming sense of humility and appreciation. Derek has given a face and yes, a beating heart, to the word miracle. He marches on to his meet his next challenge while thanking those around him who have gotten him this far.

And he does this not for accolades. He does this because he feels it’s what he needs to do. He does this because he wants people to understand that in life, all things are possible.

In life, miracle can happen. They happened to Derek Fitzgerald.