Patrick Golden
Portsmouth, Rhode Island
My Why
My mother ran in the 2013 Boston Marathon. When she was at the final mile, my wife and I headed towards the finish line to watch her cross. Moments later, all of our lives would forever change. Two bombs were detonated, with the second exploding directly across the street from where we were standing. Long story short, three hours later, we found my mother at the Boston Commons and made our way back home, full of fear and confusion.
Needless to say, my mother wasn’t able to cross the finish line in 2013, but she was welcomed back in 2014. My wife and I, despite our fears, returned to watch her finish this time. It was healing and motivating to go back, face our fears, and be a part of the resiliency that the city of Boston has in its DNA.
Since then, I have obtained a master’s degree in Holistic Counseling and am now a licensed mental health counselor and licensed chemical dependency professional in a private practice in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. I am an adjunct professor in the Holistic Clinical Counseling Program at Salve Regina University.
Additionally, I have been sober for 15 years, and I am passionate about supporting others through their various life struggles. I try to practice what I preach by living an active, healthy, and sober lifestyle. I strongly believe in spreading the positive message of recovery. It is imperative to show others who are still struggling that life gets better and that we can all live happy and meaningful lives again.
I am honored to run on the Herren Project Team in the 2025 Boston Marathon, helping to support the cause of addiction treatment and bringing more awareness and resources to our community.
On a final note, the Boston Marathon has been and always will be a special event for me and my family. My mother is an inspiration to me, and seeing her cross the finish line will always hold a special place in my memories for the rest of my life. I hope to instill the same inspiration in my 8-year-old son, my private practice clients, my Salve students, and everyone in our community on Aquidneck Island and the greater New England area.
