Anthony Crivello is a police officer, a husband, a father, and he is a marathoner. Anthony lost his 2-month-old son, Andrew, to Congenital Heart Disease, on May 20, 2018, and he honors him by raising awareness for both the disease and the hospital's workers who took care of his son - #stepsfordrew. Anthony is an avid runner who turns to the sport for inspiration and community. Please consider donating to Anthony's Charity Page, supporting his journey on Instagram, or purchasing the "Run with Heart" hat 

Name: Anthony Crivello

Instagram Handle: @antjoesph88

Day Job: Police Officer

AER: The last time we spoke in February 2019, you were training for the LA Marathon. For those who followed your story, how did it go?

ANTHONY: It was unbelievable! As you know, I began running to help with the grieving and passing of my son, Andrew. The marathon was a huge landmark in my grieving. I felt my son with me through out the race. During those hard times, I almost felt the pain and the struggle he went through.

AER: Did you learn anything during that marathon that you took with you?

ANTHONY: I learned a lot about myself. I began training for the marathon for my son and over time, it helped me more then anything. I have two other sons, and I hope they can watch me accomplish other things similar to the marathon.

AER: "RUN WITH HEART" is a saying that inspired so many who still wear this hat today (almost 17 months later). Some people bought for the original cause of your son and others purchased it well after we ran the interview who may not know exactly where the saying came from. Can you tell us a little bit about what this saying meant to you then and what it means to you today?

ANTHONY: “Run With Heart” means so much to me. Not only does it remind me of my son’s heart condition and the struggle he went through, it helps me during my runs. As runners know, running can be challenging during those long distance runs. During those challenging moments, you find yourself looking for the smallest of things to motivate you. To this day, I look for those struggling times during a run, just so I can feel the pain Andrew endured.

AER: Life with the Crivello's - Anything new to fill our readers in on? 

ANTHONY: Since the marathon, Kaitlyn and I have had a third son, James Andrew! Him and our oldest son Noah have been our sunshine during the biggest storm of our lives. I have been in the process of starting a new career with a second police agency in Southern California. It has been challenging and exciting at the same time.

AER: Are you still running? Interested in running any distance races (once COVID slows down...)?

ANTHONY: Absolutely..Running is still a huge part of my life. I’m not putting in the miles I was while training for the marathon but I still try and get in about 20 miles a week. I’m planning on running the LA Marathon in 2021 if everything begins to open back up. I start training for that this month.

AER: Do you still find balance in running?

ANTHONY: Yes! Along with my faith, I find peace in running. It’s therapeutic for me. I enjoy the pain and suffering that it brings with each training run. I enjoy the races and the camaraderie! But most of all I feel like I’m doing my part for Andrew.