Stories to Inspire: When Courage and Strength Move Mountains
By Jessica Chittenden
Jessica Chittenden (right), and her brother, Joseph Kiernan (middle), ran in the 2026 Walt Disney World® Half Marathon presented by State Farm to raise funds for MSAA’s programs and to honor their father, Patrick Kiernan (left).
August 8, 1988, was a memorable day. Not only was the 8-8-88 date of significance to anyone interested in numbers, but this day was also of significance to my family. This was the day my dad was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
At five years of age, I didn’t know what this diagnosis meant, but as time passed, I could see how MS was affecting him. And over the years, I have always been so proud of my father’s tremendous courage and strength.
At the time of his diagnosis, my dad, Patrick Kiernan, was an optician with his own shop. His initial symptoms included numbness in his right leg and inflammation of his eye (optic neuritis). He was also losing balance and stumbling. For almost 40 years, my dad has told me that his feet “feel like cement.” I can just imagine how challenging this must have been for him while working as an optician.
Throughout the years, my dad has been limited in his ability to go places or walk long distances. Fortunately, he is still able to get around with just a cane. However, he is often cold, and experiences severe fatigue as well as difficulties with sleeping. Undoubtedly, this fatigue and lack of sleep contribute to his struggles with attention and following a thought.
Yes, his thoughts jump all over the place, but we love him and hope we’re keeping up on all of these “rides.” Sometimes he’ll jump from one story to the next and we’re like… “Wait a minute, when did we leave this ride and get on a different one?”
MS has affected my dad’s life in more ways than I can describe, however, he never lets MS get him down. He has always believed that he can get through whatever challenges come his way… and his mindset has always been a source of amazement and encouragement for me.
I knew that I wanted to help raise money for people with MS, so I began researching MS fundraisers. I saw that MSAA offers options to participate in the runDisney® endurance events, and the fundraising helps support their free programs and services. This really caught my attention, since I am a Disney lover through and through – it even led me to being a part-time travel agent – and it just seemed like a perfect marriage!
So, in 2025, I decided to run my first-ever half marathon. I’ve never been a runner, but I figured, why not do it in Disney, since it is one of my favorite places!
I was initially going to just raise the money myself, but when I told my family about it, my big brother, Joseph Kiernan, decided to also participate in honor of our dad. My brother and I had the support of our entire family for running a half marathon. This includes my mom, Christine, who has been married to my dad for more than 50 years. In total, 12 of us traveled to Disney for this special event.
During my year of training, my dad was my inspiration. I kept telling myself, if he can have feet that feel like cement for almost 40 years, I can get through this 13.2-mile half marathon. He has shown me so much about power, resilience, and what the mind can do.
This was seriously a magical, physically challenging, yet rewarding experience. Starting out with this race and then continuing on to an exciting Disney vacation for the rest of the week, was a dream come true! My dad was able to see me and my big brother through the finish line, take part in our family vacation, and then end the week with the “Happily Ever After” fireworks. My dad LOVES fireworks, so this was a perfect topping to our trip.
My dad came to the race and he proudly cried when my brother and I crossed the finish line. And honestly, that moment meant everything. Because the truth is, every mile of that race was really for him. His strength is the reason I even believed I could try something that once felt impossible. And if there’s one thing my dad has taught me over the last 38 years, it’s that even when your body feels like cement… your spirit can still move mountains.
MSAA would like to express our sincere appreciation to all of the Team MSAA participants, as well as all those who cheer them on, for their fundraising efforts in support of our vital programs and services.