Throughout his life, Henry Hantgan was the quintessential optimist. Even after sustaining a C6-C7 spinal cord injury when he was 59, Hantgan adapted to his newly shaped world with good humor and determination.
In 2021, Jacqueline was training to run the New York City Marathon for Team Reeve when Henry died unexpectedly at the age of 79. The reason she’d signed up to run was to celebrate the father she cherished; his death left her heartbroken, but she wouldn’t let herself quit.
On the day of the race, a churn of grief and love fueled her steps.
“I just kept thinking, one more moment with my dad, one more step,” she says, adding. “It was obvious when I crossed that finish line that I was going to do it again.”
Last year, Hantgan and her entire family —husband Yoshi Zweiback and daughters Isa, Ariela and Naomi — tackled the marathon together in honor of Henry Hantgan’s memory. Their efforts, together with more than 100 racers at events across the country, helped Team Reeve raise more than $740,000 for spinal cord injury research in 2022.
Lamb is now recruiting runners, hand cyclists, and push-rim athletes to participate in Team Reeve events throughout 2023, including the upcoming United Airlines NYC Half Marathon in March. The springtime half marathon, a new addition to Reeve’s calendar, is part of Lamb’s ambitious plans to increase fundraising that helps support spinal cord injury research.
The infectious enthusiasm of Team Reeve alumni makes her job easier, Lamb says, with racers returning year after year with friends and family in tow.