Woman running RBC Brooklyn Half reclaims joy and purpose after losing part of leg

This weekend's RBC Brooklyn Half will be especially meaningful for one runner who has overcome extraordinary obstacles to get back on the course.

Jessica Aguilar lost part of her leg after being struck by a drunk driver, but she says running - inspired by her daughter - has helped her reclaim confidence, purpose, and joy.

Aguilar began running as a sophomore in high school. It's the reason why she went to college.

But, in December 2022, Aguilar faced a life-changing obstacle. After a night out with friends, she was struck by a truck that dragged her 40 feet. She lost 7% of her right leg.

"I had three emergency surgeries. I had reconstruction surgery. I had skin graft and I had to learn how to walk again," Aguilar said.

Due to the injuries, Aguilar was told she wasn't going to run again. She said the impact of concrete was "too much for her leg to sustain."

"I gave up on it for years," Aguilar said. "And it's just a life I accepted for myself at the time."

But that changed with her runner daughter. After her daughter saw pictures of Aguilar running in college, she had an idea to sign Aguilar up for a half marathon that would raise money for her school.

"She's like, 'Mom, you can do this,'" Aguilar said. "She didn't really understand the concept that I couldn't, so I didn't want to show her no, I didn't want to back down on something that she wanted me to do."

With that, Aguilar's perspective on running changed. She realized running is a privilege and began signing up for the New York Road Runners races.

"They have created a space for me to race in a way that I get to tell my story," Aguilar said.

This weekend, Aguilar is running the RBC Brooklyn Half with the "ultimate goal" of finishing and getting to see her daughter run, she said.

"I'm a better mom to my daughter because of it, and now she has this mother who has shown her what resilience looks like and like not to give up, especially if something we love to do," Aguilar said.

The RBC Brooklyn Half is set for this weekend and you can see reports from the race course Saturday morning on Eyewitness News.

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