Boehm ‘so blessed’ by support at Disney’s Dopey Challenge

By Pete Fontaine
Posted 1/22/16

Richard Boehm recently returned from Florida with some “bling.”

Earlier this month, the Cranston resident and Johnston Fire Department battalion chief took part in the Dopey Challenge, a …

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Boehm ‘so blessed’ by support at Disney’s Dopey Challenge

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Richard Boehm recently returned from Florida with some “bling.”

Earlier this month, the Cranston resident and Johnston Fire Department battalion chief took part in the Dopey Challenge, a four-day, 48.6-mile event held as part of Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend in Orlando. His cause was raising awareness and funding for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

He succeeded on those counts, and also took home six medals.

“It was an awesome challenge and a magnificent experience,” he said.

Boehm was the 15th highest fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society from a field of 548 runners. He was the only Rhode Islander who ran with Team Training in New England, which raised more than $100,000 for the cause. He personally raised more than $9,000, and was the team’s top individual fundraiser.

Boehm traveled to Disney World with the personal slogan of “Running for a Reason.” His efforts on behalf of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society are in memory of his late sister, Deborah Jean, who was diagnosed with leukemia at age 3-1/2 and passed away at age five.

“I was able to reach that goal with help from my family and friends,” Boehm said.

“I’ve been so blessed for not only the financial support and extraordinary donations, but also for all the moral support I received, even while I was running in all four events …It was an honor to participate in all those events and share stories about the dreaded diseases that took a lot of people’s family members or loved ones. That kept me going throughout each step.”

Some additional support came from the Rev. Robert Rochon, pastor of St. Brigid’s Roman Catholic Church, where Boehm and his wife Rhonda have been proud parishioners for many years.

“Think about how incredible that was for me, my pastor texting me every day to see how I was doing,” Boehm said. “I thank God for his support and blessings.”

Boehm said his “main cheerleader” in all four races during the Dopey Challenge was his wife, who woke with him at 3 a.m. each morning.

“The worse part of all was waking up at 3 o’clock in the morning to run,” Boehm said with a smile. “I’m definitely not a morning person, and the first two nights I had a total of only three hours’ sleep.”

The challenge included four different runs in as many days, the highlight of which was a 26.2-mile marathon. All four races started at 5:30 a.m. and Boehm said his wife was always there waiting for him at the finish line at Epcot and “reporting my times to family members and our friends.”

Boehm ran the 5K in 26 minutes, 23 seconds; the 10K in 53 minutes, 13 seconds; the half-marathon in two hours, three minutes, and 46 seconds; and the full marathon in four hours, 27 minutes, 25 seconds.

There is still time to held Boehm’s fundraising total. Checks payable to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society can be mailed to Boehm at 287 Stony Acre Drive, Cranston, RI 02920.

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