Medina native with ALS plans to complete marathon next month in Syracuse

“Jimmer” Szatkowski will be pushed 26.2 miles in a fundraiser for the Tackle ALS Foundation

Provided photo: Anthony “Jimmer” Szatkowski, a Medina native suffering from ALS, is paralyzed and on a ventilator due to the disease. He is shown here with his children, Samantha, Jack and Hunter and his wife Betty. Jimmer is determined to complete his fourth marathon Oct. 20 in Syracuse. Family and friends are stepping up to volunteer to push him the 26.2 miles. His goal is to raise $1 million for the Tackle ALS Foundation whose benefactor is the Sean M. Healey Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, the leading ALS clinic in the United States.

MEDINA – Two brothers from Medina are gearing up to complete a marathon, one in a wheelchair and the other pushing him.

Andrew Szatkowski and his brother Anthony “Jimmer” Szatkowski will participate in the Great New York State Marathon Weekend Oct. 20 in Syracuse.

The race was organized by Dan Gustafson and was started by his daughter Kelleigh Gustafson to raise awareness of the rare and life threatening disease, arteriovenous malformations. Andrew said the family has been very generous in allowing them to join in the race and raise money for Jimmer’s cause.

Jimmer grew up in Medina and graduated from Medina High School. He met his wife Betty in college and they have three children. He had embarked on a career with IBM for 20 years, until one day he decided he needed a change.

“He was driving down the road in Raleigh, N.C. and saw a crowd of people at a Chick -fil-A,” Andrew said. “He came back home and opened the first one in Central New York in Cicero.”

The restaurant was immediately a success, and Kevin Curtis, senior principal leader at Chick-fil-A, became an avid supporter of Jimmer and his fight to raise money for ALS research.

Three years ago, Jimmer, now 52, was diagnosed with ALS and today he is paralyzed and on a ventilator.

Andrew Szatkowski, left, will push his brother Jimmer in next month’s marathon in Syracuse.

“When he lost the ability to move his arms and feet, his heart and mind became super powers,” Andrew said.

Jimmer and Andrew are both athletic and love to run. Jimmer has run three marathons, including a Half Ironman, and Andrew has run two.

Jimmer continues to visit his store six days a week. Curtis a week ago announced a goal to raise $50,000 for ALS and within four days, they were at $47,000. Jimmer had previously announced he wanted to raise $1 million for the Tackle ALS Foundation, a charity created by NFL player and children’s book author Tim Green.

Curtis will also be running the marathon and helping push Jimmer. Jimmer will be in a special wheelchair which was acquired through connections Andrew made while running the Rochester Flower City half marathon. There he met Scott Strang, who is part of Ainsley’s Angels, an organization that connects people with disabilities with runners. Ainsley’s Angels provides chairs and structure for the disabled to take part in races.

“I met him while he was pushing his son Drew, and he connected me to this special chair for Jimmer,” Andrew said.

Andrew said they are in need of more people to help push Jimmer’s wheelchair. There is a minimum fee to enter the Great New York State Marathon, but in support of Jimmer, that has been set at $50. People can volunteer to run a mile or any portion of the marathon they wish. They can sign up by calling Andrew at (585) 205-0581.

Click here for more information on how to donate.