Daughter Honors Fire Fighter Father With Heart Awareness Run

June 17, 2010 – In the three years since her father died suddenly of a heart attack, Lindsay Marchinik has struggled to make sense of the loss, grasping at precious memories and constantly searching for a way burnish his legacy.

With the help of her father’s friends and colleagues, Lindsay has organized the Heart Healthy Awareness 5K Run/Walk To Benefit the American Heart Association.

The run will take place in her hometown of Palm Bay, Florida, where her dad, Palm Bay Local 2446 member Captain Michael L. Marchinik, served as a fire fighter for 22 years. Marchinik, 44, died of heart failure May 19, 2007, while on vacation.

By all accounts Marchinik spent his life focused on the safety and well-being of his family and friends, as well as his community. A father of three, husband and uncle, Marchinik was the quintessential “Soccer Dad.”

“I will never forget those piggyback rides off the soccer field because I was too hurt to walk myself,” recalls Lindsay, whose soccer skills eventually took her to a statewide final-four tournament.

Like many devoted and dedicated fire fighters, Marchinik did not take time to care for his own health. Over the years, he developed high blood pressure and other health issues.

“If only my dad had taken better care of himself, he would still be here today,” says Lindsay.

Her father’s death is the impetus for Lindsay’s desire to promote a healthy lifestyle. “Life is a precious gift and I cannot put into words how it feels when life is unexpectedly taken away,” she says.

Determined to organize and carry out the event before she returns to college in the fall, Lindsay hopes to enlist up to 300 runners for this inaugural fundraising event, the proceeds of which will go the American Heart Association.

Local 2446 President David Ginsberg says local members are ready and eager to assist Lindsay in any way and he expects many of Marchinik’s former colleagues will participate in the run.

“Brother Marchinik was a good friend to all of us and his death was a complete shock,” says Ginsberg.

Lindsay is also canvassing other IAFF locals around Palm Bay, area gyms, and her friend and neighbors to find more runners. “This is just the first year. I want to do this every year,” she says.

Here is a link to the sign up form for the run: For more information, click here or contact Lindsay Marchinik at (321) 501-7729 or Lindsay.marcinik@gmail.com.