Illinois runner conquers Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon after open heart surgery
A couple of years ago Stephanie Grasso, 36, of Illinois had trouble walking down a short hallway without having to stop to catch her breath. She had what is called a bicuspid aortic valve, which can cause chest pains, shortness of breath and difficulty exercising.
This past weekend, two years after having open heart surgery, Grosso defied the odds and just completed the 2022 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon on Sunday.
She ran not only the 5K, but the 10K and the half marathon for a total of 22.4 miles. And now she plans to run every runDisney race this season, which would mean 13 total races and nearly 113 miles.
Just before having open heart surgery to repair the problem, Grosso vowed that if she survived and was given a second chance at life, she would get into distance running.
Eight months later, she ran her first 5K.
After she learned to trust her heart again, she set her sights on runDisney races so she could run through Cinderella Castle, which she accomplished last year. Sunday, during the 13.1-mile half marathon, she got to run through Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT.
