Result Of The LAIR Fund - Brad LaRocque
Tuesday, May 22 2012 - Bradley LaRocque
Life is sport, sport is life.
For Eastern Illinois senior Brad LaRocque his sport is distance running.
The life that he lives gained inspiration from the loss of life as LaRocque's sister Amy passed away due to complications from leukemia when he was a junior at EIU.
LaRocque opened the 2010 season with a solid finish at the EIU Panther Invite and then sensed something was off when he struggled at the Illinois Intercollegiate.
“After the Illinois Intercollegiate my dad came up to me and said that my sister was diagnosed with leukemia,” said LaRocque. “I was shocked and kept saying there is no way this is happening to my sister.”
Instead of going in a shell, LaRocque decided that the best way he could fight for his sister was to continue to work hard and improve on his sport. He did that through the support of his teammates and head coach Erin Howarth.
“He just elevated everyone's spirit,” said Howarth on LaRocque's reaction to the news. “I was concerned on how he would react to hearing that news. You don't know how someone is going to cope with that type of news. His response was on the course where he posted a Top 20 time running toe-to-toe with several All-Americans.”
For LaRocque that time was a sub-25 minute 8K time in the Bradley Invitational on Oct. 16. Two weeks later he earned first team All-Ohio Valley Conference by placing seventh in the OVC Cross Country Championships.
During the next nine months, LaRocque would stay in constant contact with his sister and leaned on both teammates and Coach Howarth.
“Coach Howarth has been like a second mom to me,” said LaRocque. “She is very caring and is always there as a positive influence, encouraging us to strive to be our best.”
To show the bond that shapes his family LaRocque started wearing a black head band with purple lettering saying Amy on the front with his parent's names on each side and LaRocque Racing on the back. LaRocque wore that head band at last year's OVC Outdoor Track Championships as he placed second in the 10,000m run helping EIU win its fourth straight outdoor track championship.
“The head band signifies everybody that has always been behind me in my running career and during this time when my sister battled leukemia,” said LaRocque.
Following nine months of battling leukemia LaRocque's sister Amy was diagnosed as having beaten the disease. LaRocque celebrated the victory for his sister. However the victory was short lived as she passed away three weeks later in June due to complications from pneumonia.
“Brad is a leader on this team both by example and vocally. He always wants everyone to be their best,” Howarth added. “To see how his teammates rallied around him at his sister's wake and funeral it was inspiring. It was a true team effort.”
In the weeks and months following his sister's passing, LaRocque came to remember the times when he would head out to a race in high school and his sister would always be at the breakfast table telling him good luck on the way out the door.
“I just found out that she would always pray for me during my races. She was one of my biggest fans but she never let me see that even though she always knew what was going on in my career,” said LaRocque who ran at Sandburg High School in Oak Forest, Ill.
Now LaRocque has become his sister's biggest fan in how he leads his life. He along with his teammates and friends wear purple bracelets that simply say – Hope, Faith, Courage, Strength – We Love You Amy.
That drive also is with him every time he steps out on the course for a meet. This season LaRocque again earned first team All-OVC honors in cross country while placing 50th in the NCAA Regional. He posted a personal best of 24:45 in the Illinois Intercollegiate 8K, the same meet where a year prior his dad had broken the news of Amy's illness.
“I feel like I have a spiritual guide of sorts when I'm racing. Every race I have a plan that I go over with Coach Howarth,” said LaRocque. “In the OVC race this year at the 3K mark I could hear my sister saying 'You need to go, they are getting away'. At the 6K mark Coach Howarth said to increase the pace and I could hear my sister saying 'Finally we can get going and catch these guys.”
A kinesiology and sports studies major with a 3.44 GPA, LaRocque wants to help people live healthy and productive lives. A fitting tribute to someone who's own life has been inspired.
Eastern Illinois University's Department of Athletics is proud to highlight some of the many success stories in a quarterly campaign, Result of the LAIR Fund. Recipients are chosen based on nominations from EIU faculty and staff, coaches, administrators, community members and teammates.
The Panther Club LAIR Fund provides annual funding for scholarships, academic support services, and leadership programs which provide Eastern Illinois University's more than 430 student-athletes with the resources they need to become well rounded individuals, compete at the NCAA Division I level, and engage in a lifelong pursuit of learning.
For Eastern Illinois senior Brad LaRocque his sport is distance running.
The life that he lives gained inspiration from the loss of life as LaRocque's sister Amy passed away due to complications from leukemia when he was a junior at EIU.
LaRocque opened the 2010 season with a solid finish at the EIU Panther Invite and then sensed something was off when he struggled at the Illinois Intercollegiate.
“After the Illinois Intercollegiate my dad came up to me and said that my sister was diagnosed with leukemia,” said LaRocque. “I was shocked and kept saying there is no way this is happening to my sister.”
Instead of going in a shell, LaRocque decided that the best way he could fight for his sister was to continue to work hard and improve on his sport. He did that through the support of his teammates and head coach Erin Howarth.
“He just elevated everyone's spirit,” said Howarth on LaRocque's reaction to the news. “I was concerned on how he would react to hearing that news. You don't know how someone is going to cope with that type of news. His response was on the course where he posted a Top 20 time running toe-to-toe with several All-Americans.”
For LaRocque that time was a sub-25 minute 8K time in the Bradley Invitational on Oct. 16. Two weeks later he earned first team All-Ohio Valley Conference by placing seventh in the OVC Cross Country Championships.
During the next nine months, LaRocque would stay in constant contact with his sister and leaned on both teammates and Coach Howarth.
“Coach Howarth has been like a second mom to me,” said LaRocque. “She is very caring and is always there as a positive influence, encouraging us to strive to be our best.”
To show the bond that shapes his family LaRocque started wearing a black head band with purple lettering saying Amy on the front with his parent's names on each side and LaRocque Racing on the back. LaRocque wore that head band at last year's OVC Outdoor Track Championships as he placed second in the 10,000m run helping EIU win its fourth straight outdoor track championship.
“The head band signifies everybody that has always been behind me in my running career and during this time when my sister battled leukemia,” said LaRocque.
Following nine months of battling leukemia LaRocque's sister Amy was diagnosed as having beaten the disease. LaRocque celebrated the victory for his sister. However the victory was short lived as she passed away three weeks later in June due to complications from pneumonia.
“Brad is a leader on this team both by example and vocally. He always wants everyone to be their best,” Howarth added. “To see how his teammates rallied around him at his sister's wake and funeral it was inspiring. It was a true team effort.”
In the weeks and months following his sister's passing, LaRocque came to remember the times when he would head out to a race in high school and his sister would always be at the breakfast table telling him good luck on the way out the door.
“I just found out that she would always pray for me during my races. She was one of my biggest fans but she never let me see that even though she always knew what was going on in my career,” said LaRocque who ran at Sandburg High School in Oak Forest, Ill.
Now LaRocque has become his sister's biggest fan in how he leads his life. He along with his teammates and friends wear purple bracelets that simply say – Hope, Faith, Courage, Strength – We Love You Amy.
That drive also is with him every time he steps out on the course for a meet. This season LaRocque again earned first team All-OVC honors in cross country while placing 50th in the NCAA Regional. He posted a personal best of 24:45 in the Illinois Intercollegiate 8K, the same meet where a year prior his dad had broken the news of Amy's illness.
“I feel like I have a spiritual guide of sorts when I'm racing. Every race I have a plan that I go over with Coach Howarth,” said LaRocque. “In the OVC race this year at the 3K mark I could hear my sister saying 'You need to go, they are getting away'. At the 6K mark Coach Howarth said to increase the pace and I could hear my sister saying 'Finally we can get going and catch these guys.”
A kinesiology and sports studies major with a 3.44 GPA, LaRocque wants to help people live healthy and productive lives. A fitting tribute to someone who's own life has been inspired.
Eastern Illinois University's Department of Athletics is proud to highlight some of the many success stories in a quarterly campaign, Result of the LAIR Fund. Recipients are chosen based on nominations from EIU faculty and staff, coaches, administrators, community members and teammates.
The Panther Club LAIR Fund provides annual funding for scholarships, academic support services, and leadership programs which provide Eastern Illinois University's more than 430 student-athletes with the resources they need to become well rounded individuals, compete at the NCAA Division I level, and engage in a lifelong pursuit of learning.