2011 - YEAR IN REVIEW

The Making of a Photograph

Native News Network Staff in Native Briefs. Discussion »

This past Fall, Dirk Whitebreast, Sac & Fox, ran ten marathons in 30 days.

Eight years ago, Whitebreast's sister, Darcy Jo Keahna, committed suicide. He took up running as a coping mechanism to endure the tragedy.

Whitebreast teamed up with the Center for Native American Youth, based at the Aspen Institute, in Washington to bring attention to the severe problem of suicides among American Indian youth, who sadly commit suicide at a rate of three times the national average.

The Native News Network covered Whitebreast's Marathons in Wisconsin and Chicago.

Whitebreast ran two marathons that weekend. The Chicago Marathon was his eighth of ten he ran.

This above picture was taken soon after the conclusion of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon between Michigan Avenue and Grant Park on Sunday, October 9, 2011. It features Whitebreast, Yolanda Pusbetonequa, Sac & Fox, and Paul Molina, Kickapoo/Mexican.

Pushbetonqua, from Tama, Iowa, was in Chicago to visit friends that weekend. She and Whitebreast are tribal members of the same tribe. Once in Chicago, she remembered that Whitebreast was running in the marathon, so she made her way over to the see him at the conclusion. Pushbetonqua and Molina met earlier in the day, so he came along for the celebration.

Whitebreast told the Native News Network that he almost quit the day before because he was tired and fatigued. He went on to finish his goal of running ten marathons the following weekend.

Here is a link to the original story:
Sac & Fox Tribal Council Secretary Runs Chicago Marathon for Native Youth

posted December 29, 2011 2:30 pm est