Second Annual FOJ Walk On The Walkway Over the Hudson

On Sunday, September 29th, Jaclyn Murphy hosted the second annual Friends of Jaclyn Walk over the Walkway on The Hudson. The purpose of the walk is to honor and commemorate the children that have lost their lives due to pediatric brain tumors. Along the walkway rails that day were 84 paper-made doves with the names of the children who have passed due to their condition that were members of the Friends of Jaclyn foundation dating back to 2007. Being so close to Marist, the student community came together with many schools in the nearby area who also participate in the program. Jaclyn led the walk, closely followed by her parents and brother - and then us. The Marist Women's Soccer team followed them closely to support Jaimie in the best way we could. We taped "I walk for: Jaimie" on all of our backs, proudly showing the world that she was our girl. The Marist Men's Football team walked close behind us, supporting Jaimie's brother Daniel. This event is an amazing way to bring people together and share perspectives from different collegiate teams that participate in the foundation. It was a great atmosphere to be apart of, and such a positive environment focusing on overcoming adversity and living in the moment.

Player Interviews

Hi guys! We've told you a lot about Jaimie and her family so far, but we've never really given you a perspective of all this from our teammates. So, this week, we interviewed a few of our younger players on the team to see how having Jaimie has impacted them. 

First is sophomore, Jessica Fanelli:

"Having Jaimie as our adoptee went above and beyond all expectations. Not only did Jaimie allow us in her family, but she brought the Marist Women's soccer team closer as a family. She was an inspiration to each and every one of us on the team and just like she looked up to all of us, I looked up to her for being so strong throughout all she has been through. The adoption made me realize how fortunate I am and how children like Jaimie would do anything to be running around on a soccer field. Although our season has come to an end, Jaimie as a member of the team gave us the push we needed to make it as far as we did. I think the Friends of Jaclyn adoption process should be spread to more schools and teams because not only does it brightens the life of a child, but the strength Jaimie had was contagious and inspired the team to prosper throughout our season."

Junior, Jamie Strumwasser:

"Having Jaimie as an adoptee has opened my eyes and helped me realize that my everyday issues are not as bad as I originally thought they were. Having Jaimie in my life has forced me to understand that getting into an argument with my friend or maybe not getting the grade I wanted to get on my spanish test is nothing compared to the struggles Jaimie and her family faces each and every day. To see Jaimie with a smile while she goes through some of the hardest things a child can, is breathtaking. She is undergoing one of the toughest situations a child can, and for her to be able to set that aside and be able to experience life is astonishing. Jaimie has helped me realize that there is so much more to life then just training or doing homework. Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, its about learning to dance in the rain. The happiest people do not have the best of everything but they make the best of everything they have."

Sophomore, Megan McEnroe:

"Adopting Jaimie into our Marist Women’s Soccer family has played a major impact on us as a team and as well as myself personally. As a team I think adopting Jaimie showed us how important family really is. The smiles on Jaimie’s face when she is around us are quite amazing and really prove that we make a difference in her life just by our presence. The support and comfort we show her reminds us how we should always treat each the same way other no matter what the circumstance is. Personally, adopting Jaimie has showed me to never give up on a dream because you never know when it will be taken away. Bringing Jaimie into the family was definitely a positive experience and I am so glad I had the opportunity to be apart of it."

Sophomore, Amanda Bauza:

"Being a part of the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation wasn’t just about doing something good for the community, having Jaimie was more than just a good deed. From the start Jaimie fit right in to our MWS family and you could just see the smile light up not only on her face but all of ours every time she came in to our locker room and attended games. Her support helped us win many games on our home turf and in a sense I believe that by adopting Jaimie it made us all come together and not only play for her but win for her. Adopting Jaimie made me realize how fortunate I am in this life and how I want to help kids like Jaimie know that even if they are facing challenges in their life at a such age they can still be happy and know that people love them no matter what. I honestly would recommend every collegiate team to consider this foundation because for me, personally, it was a great experience."

Junior, Andrea Wicks:

"Adopting Jaimie Ferretti into our Marist Women’s Soccer family has created a spark, that has brought us closer together as a team. She reminds us to be selfless and to work for others because even when we get to the point where we’re tired of playing, there are others who don’t have the opportunity to. Jaimie became the heart of the team, so when even things turned bad, we always had a smiling face to look at, and pick ourselves back up again. No one could deny her smile even in the worst of times. Jaimie’s a sign of hope and happiness that unites our team as one."

And to think, this is only a fraction of our team. Just imagine what everyone has to say about our brave little girl. For any other collegiate teams reading this, definitely start a movement and adopt a child of your own! It's worth every minute.

Live in the moment. Play in the moment.