Estrella Contreras
Estrella Contreras is 35 years old from San Antonio, TX. Since 2009, she has worked in the IT industry.
Being an asthmatic, running had not been an option in the past. To complete a half marathon at Disney, she started running in 2014, and ran her first marathon in 2015. In 2017 when her older brother, Raul, 37, passed due to a heart attack, as well as substance abuse complications, she lost her passion for running, but found she still needed it as a way to cope with grief.
Never thinking of herself as a real runner, she relied on her youngest sibling who always encouraged her running and passions. Through injuries and grief, she “kept on keeping on.” She made a decision on April 17, 2022 that she would run the Boston Marathon as a way to prove to herself that she could, and that she would keep fighting the dark thoughts that came with her grief. Just days later, on April 23, 2022, her youngest sibling, Danny, would pass due to complications from substance abuse.
Months later, after battling with grief and depression, she knew she had to honor both her brothers by running the Boston Marathon. As she researched, she found Herren Project and wished she had known of these organizations earlier to have been able to help her brother Danny. Hoping to raise money to help other families, who like theirs, did not know there are resources to help, to help another family avoid going through the same pain.
Estrella runs for her mental wellness, to keep fighting her fight, for those who cannot, and especially for Raul and Danny.
Donate to Estrella’s 2023 Boston Marathon fundraising campaign.
