When Sergio Gonzalez laces up his running shoes for the Chicago Marathon, he isn’t just preparing for 26.2 miles of pavement. He’s stepping into a journey shaped by fear, resilience, gratitude, and an unbreakable promise to make a difference.
A devoted father and member of Team CBTF, Sergio is running to raise awareness and funds for families battling childhood brain tumors. But behind every mile he trains for lies a story far deeper than athletic ambition. It is a story of a son’s courage, a father’s heartbreak, a family’s endurance, and a community’s power to heal.
A Father’s Motivation: Inspired by Louis
The heart of Sergio’s mission is his son, Louis.
Louis was diagnosed with a brain tumor at a young age — news that instantly changed the Gonzalez family’s world. For any parent, hearing the word “tumor” in connection with your child is devastating. It brings uncertainty, fear, and an overwhelming sense of helplessness.
Yet, in the middle of that storm, Sergio found inspiration in the most unexpected place: his son’s strength.
“Seeing him go through pain at such a young age motivated me,” Sergio shares. “If he took all that pain, the pain of my body would be minimal.”
Those words are not just symbolic. They reflect a father who refuses to stand still in the face of suffering. For Sergio, running the marathon is a way to transform pain into purpose. Every step he takes honors Louis and every other child fighting a battle they never chose.
A Double Battle: When Illness Struck Again
As if supporting his son through surgery and recovery wasn’t enough, Sergio’s life took another dramatic turn in early 2023. He was diagnosed with head and neck cancer.
Suddenly, the caregiver became the patient.
Facing his own mortality while still processing his son’s traumatic experience would have broken many people. Treatments were intense. Recovery was painful. The physical and emotional toll was enormous.
Yet even during his darkest moments, Sergio’s focus remained outward.
“Children suffer so much more than I do,” he says. “Therefore, I want to make a difference, even if it’s just a little bit.”
It is rare to see such perspective in the middle of personal crisis. Sergio’s empathy only deepened as he experienced cancer firsthand. His illness did not weaken his commitment — it strengthened it.
The marathon, for him, is not just about fundraising. It is about proving that even after devastating diagnoses, life can still move forward with meaning.
Louis’s Fight: A Journey No Family Expects
Louis’s health challenges began unexpectedly with pneumonia. What initially seemed like a serious but manageable illness soon led to further testing and a traumatic biopsy. Then came the diagnosis: a brain tumor.
The family’s world shifted overnight.
Surgery was necessary. Physical therapy followed. The uncertainty was suffocating. Sergio vividly remembers the moment Louis woke up after surgery.
“The look in his eyes when he awoke from surgery in so much pain is something I will never forget,” he recalls.
For a parent, witnessing that kind of suffering is indescribable. It leaves a permanent imprint on the heart.
But amid the fear and exhaustion, there was also hope. Thanks to skilled medical professionals and comprehensive care, Louis made a full recovery. His resilience amazed everyone around him.
Today, while the emotional scars remain, the family chooses to focus on gratitude rather than trauma. They carry the memory of those difficult days not as a burden, but as a reminder of what they survived together.
Strength Through Family and Community
One of the most powerful lessons from Sergio’s journey is the importance of community.
Healing did not happen in isolation. It was strengthened by family members who showed up, friends who offered encouragement, and medical professionals who provided compassionate care.
“We find strength by going through difficult times together,” Sergio reflects.
This collective support became the foundation that allowed the Gonzalez family to endure surgeries, treatments, and recovery. It also became the driving force behind Sergio’s advocacy work.
By joining Team CBTF, Sergio found another layer of community — one made up of families who truly understand the challenges of childhood brain tumors. Within this network, shared experiences become shared strength.
His message to other families is simple but powerful: You are not alone.
The Marathon as a Symbol
For many runners, the Chicago Marathon represents endurance and achievement. For Sergio, it symbolizes survival and gratitude.
He describes the past three years as the toughest of his life. Between his son’s diagnosis and his own cancer battle, he faced challenges that tested every ounce of his resilience.
“I feel grateful to have made it through the toughest three years of my life,” he says. “Additionally, I feel grateful to be alive and healthy enough to walk.”
The word “walk” carries weight. Sergio is not chasing a personal best time. He is not competing for medals. His goal is far more meaningful: to show up, to honor his son, and to raise awareness for families still in the middle of their fight.
Every mile becomes an act of gratitude.
Every step becomes a tribute.
Turning Pain into Purpose
There is something profoundly transformative about channeling suffering into service.
Sergio believes that positivity and giving back are essential parts of recovery. Rather than allowing trauma to define his family’s story, he has chosen to let it inspire action.
His commitment to the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation is rooted in genuine compassion. He understands the sleepless nights, the medical jargon, the fear in hospital corridors. He understands what it means to wait for test results that could change everything.
“If I can contribute something and help in any way, I will,” he says.
That mindset is what makes his story so powerful. He is not seeking attention. He is seeking impact.
By sharing his journey publicly, Sergio hopes to raise awareness about childhood brain tumors, encourage donations for critical research, and build a stronger support network for affected families.
Why Awareness Matters
Childhood brain tumors remain one of the most serious and life-threatening pediatric conditions. Research funding, emotional support services, and access to specialized care are all crucial components in improving outcomes.
Families facing these diagnoses often feel isolated and overwhelmed. Medical decisions come quickly. Financial stress can mount. Emotional strain affects siblings, parents, and extended family members.
Organizations like the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation work to ease these burdens — but they rely on community support.
That’s where people like Sergio make a difference.
By participating in high-visibility events like the marathon, he amplifies the conversation. He reminds the public that behind every statistic is a child with dreams, a parent holding their breath, and a family hoping for good news.
A Message of Hope
At its core, Sergio Gonzalez’s story is about hope.
Hope that children can recover.
Hope that research will advance.
Hope that no family has to feel alone.
His journey demonstrates that resilience is not the absence of fear, but the decision to keep moving forward despite it.
As he prepares for race day, Sergio carries more than a race bib. He carries the memory of hospital rooms, the relief of successful treatments, and the determination to turn survival into service.
He hopes his story inspires others — whether that means donating, volunteering, running, or simply offering support to a family in need.
Because sometimes, the most powerful thing we can say to someone in the middle of a battle is this:
You are not alone.
And sometimes, the most meaningful miles we run are the ones we dedicate to others.
If you are moved by Sergio’s story, consider supporting families facing childhood brain tumors. Donations help fund vital research, provide essential resources, and bring comfort to parents navigating unimaginable challenges. Together, through awareness and action, we can transform hardship into hope — one step at a time.