Friendship inspires firefighter to run marathon.
- From the Hingham Journal, By Amy van Aarem/ Correspondent

John Pollick and Tom DeGraan have been friends for 17 years. Both were raised in Hingham, attending elementary and middle school in town. Pollick attended Hingham High while DeGrann went up the road to BC High, but they remained close through those formative years. They forged one of those rare friendships that can take one through life. After a devastating injury in 1996 left Pollick with a C-6 Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), DeGrann continued to show his support and friendship. "What is so inspiring about John," says DeGrann, " is that he has a great attitude about his injury. He doesn’t let his injury stop him from doing new things... having as normal life as possible, while being confined to a wheelchair."

Today DeGrann is a firefighter/paramedic on the cape and Pollick is a programmer/ cartographer for Coler & Colantonio, an engineering firm in Norwell. Pollick, still a resident of Hingham, serves on the Commission on Disabilities for the town. Although DeGrann is living on the cape, the two manage to still see each other about once a week. DeGrann, wanting to find a more tangible way to contribute to SCI research and funding, became involved with the Christopher Reeve Foundation. Although there are a number of foundations devoted to SCI research and development, he says, "The Christopher Reeve foundation is more aggressive on the political side as well as being devoted to improving the quality of life for those living with SCI’s."

He contacted the event planner for the Christopher Reeve Foundation and was quickly connected with Team Reeve, the athletic arm of the foundation. Team Reeve is a group of 20 athletes that compete in various athletic events around the country to raise money for the Christopher Reeve foundation, in support of finding a cure for Spinal Cord Injuries. DeGrann, as part of Team Reeve will be running the New York marathon on Nov. 5 in honor of his friend Pollick, and in support of the Christopher Reeve Foundation. DeGrann’s goal is to raise $10,000 prior to race day. He has already raised approximately $3,000 and hopes that stories like this and the family event that he is hosting at Old Derby on Thursday Oct. 26th will supplement the goal. Not only does DeGrann want to raise money for SCI research - he wants to raise awareness in the community about SCI and finding and funding a cure.