BILLY'S RUN
Support U.S. Marine Corps Veteran: Billy Vallely, in his mission to raise five thousand dollars for American combat Veterans, as he races to the finish line of this years New York City marathon.
5K45K
On his way to the NYC Marathon, Sponsor Billy and help him reach his $5,000 fundraising goal, starting with the 5K Charity Event held October 7th, launching from St. Helen’s Church in Howard Beach, NY. Billy is a living testament to how veterans can make an incredible difference in their communities and the world after their combat service.
Through volunteering with Veterans Rebuilding Life, training and employing vets in the automotive industry, and through the hands-on loving support of his Howard Beach community and family, Billy is the definition of Semper Fidelis.
Support his love of running and his dreams of making a difference for veterans and children impacted by war. Donate to his marathon fundraiser today and help him meet his extraordinary goal:
Who is Bill Vallely?
It was early morning on Tuesday, September 11th, 2001, and St. Francis College had scheduled its usual day of classes. Bill Vallely was still asleep after a long night tending bar in a local tavern. Bill’s mother, Joyce, woke him with the words, “Billy, I think a plane hit the World Trade Center.” Bill opened one eye, having learned to wake at the slightest sound at Parris Island. He quickly rose and looked out his bedroom window, noticing smoke billowing in the distance, not unlike a volcano eruption. He immediately felt the sense of the abnormal, even though authorities were saying at the time that it was an accident. Moments later, another aircraft struck the north tower at the World Trade Center, an event Bill witnessed not on the news but in living color.
At that instant, he thought of his swearing-in at Parris Island, of receiving his “eagle, globe, and anchor” (the rite of passage in which a U.S. Marine is born), and he thought about why he enlisted in the Marine Corps. Behind the scenes, calls were made to his reserve unit; the N.Y. Naval Militia was mobilized. Within days, Bill was on a bus with his comrades to lower Manhattan in defense of this new war. Bill learned of the loss of his hero, Gunnery Sergeant Matthew Garvey, the Marine’s Marine.
Hero to many, but to Bill, it was a bit more personal. Gunnery Garvey, a New York City firefighter, perished during a rescue mission in the World Trade Center. Garvey would visit Bill at his day job at Stop and Shop Deli, giving him bits of advice, or sometimes just a look, making it known he was checking on him–moments Bill would hold with him from then on. Over a month at ground zero, gave Bill a renewed sense of purpose and a reason to fight, sustaining his oath to defend his country.
Bill would soon deploy on his first tour in Iraq in 2003, at the onset of the war. Bill returned home only to re-deploy back to Iraq in 2005. Upon completion of this final tour of duty, Bill received an honorable discharge from military service. But reintegration was not easy, and Billy experienced the lingering wounds of war that combat veterans and their families face. In 2018, Bill accepted that he was suffering from PTSD, and was was eventually service-connected for treatment, thanks to Veterans Rebuilding Life. Today, Bill encourages fellow veterans to seek PTSD treatment.
Why Raise 5K for Veterans?
From Billy Vallely himself, “All of this is to support my brothers and sisters that gave everything they had for us to be free. Please help me support my cause this year. VRL are the greatest human beings on the planet, sav ing not only our vets but all those in need in combat.
Help me to help VRL and my brothers Dre Popow & Christian Zamora continue their mission. I fought with these fine human beings….and I’ll continue to fight myself through 26.2 miles to make this place the best it can be. Every step, every mile, every breath, every ache, and pain…. for my brothers and sisters in arms. Please donate.” 100% of every donation is use towards VRL’s mission of assisting those injured in the crossfires of war.