When Lauren Pendergrass of Glencoe passes Grant Park on Sunday during the 46th annual Chicago Marathon, it will mean more to her than seeing one of Chicago’s signature attractions. If she completes the 26.2-mile course, it will represent more than the accomplishment of finishing a marathon.
For Pendergrass, Sunday is about honoring her brother, Grant DeHoogh, who died of a drug overdose at 26 in 2021.
‘‘It’s just really meaningful to me,’’ Pendergrass said. ‘‘I can run to honor and remember him. [Running] has helped me go through some hard things in life.’’
DeHoogh, Pendergrass said, was always into exercise and fitness. He had a jubilant and uplifting personality, which made it hard for his family to understand the struggles he was going through, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced everyone into isolation.
‘‘We were trying to find ways to help him, but it was during the pandemic, unfortunately, so it was hard to get him in-person care and in-person rehab,’’ Pendergrass said. ‘‘He had to do rehab over the phone, over Zoom, which was not ideal.’’
Her brother’s struggles led Pendergrass to want to run her second marathon for Erika’s Lighthouse, a nonprofit organization that provides support to teens struggling with anxiety and depression.
After trying to enter the marathon through the lottery — she didn’t get in — she started looking for a charity for which she could run before finding Erika’s Lighthouse.
Once they select a charity, participants are required to raise at least $1,500 during the application window. Pendergrass raised money by creating and selling bracelets in her brother’s memory.
‘‘I had a lot of friends and family help me get to my goal pretty easily,’’ Pendergrass said. ‘‘I made bracelets to honor Grant that said, ‘Grant DeHoogh,’ and they’re orange because he loved orange. At his funeral, we all tried to wear bright orange and happy colors, so that it would be a real celebration of his life.’’
Pendergrass said she hopes to bring awareness to mental health and to be a part of the solution to destigmatize it. She said she thinks DeHoogh was afraid to get help.
‘‘On the outside, he wanted everything to look perfect and that he was doing OK,’’ Pendergrass said. ‘‘He was high-functioning, finishing pharmacy school, but everything was harder than we realized.
‘‘I just hope that other people are able to reach out and ask for help when they need it and that kids in high schools can feel like they’re supported and that they just have places to turn if they need help.’’
Preparing for the marathon has been a challenge for Pendergrass. She’s a mother of four children, all of whom are homeschooled. Juggling their needs and her workouts has been difficult, but she has enjoyed the running journey — she said she has lost about 80 pounds in the last five years — and connecting with others who share in her endeavors.
Pendergrass began participating in early-morning runs during the pandemic, around the time of her brother’s death. The physical benefits have been beneficial, but it’s the emotional impact that resonates most with her.
‘‘As I would run outside, I would just think about him and feel him cheering me on,’’ Pendergrass said. ‘‘I’m able to remember him as I’m running and think about all that I’ve been through and what he went through. I feel close to him when I’m running.’’
