The Lori Weiss Memorial Run/Walk, held on Saturday, at Heckscher Park, brought together family, friends, and community members to celebrate the legacy of Lori Weiss—a devoted mother, grandmother, and sister.

Weiss’s life was tragically cut short after a series of undiagnosed headaches led to her untimely death. Despite multiple visits to the emergency room and consultations with specialists, the issue remained unidentified, resulting in her collapse and eventual death in a hospital coma just days after her 60th birthday.

In honor of Weiss’s memory and her lifesaving impact on others, this memorial event was organized by her sister, Hilary Topper, who has two blogs, HilaryTopper.com and ATriathletesDiary.com, to raise funds for The Bee Foundation (TBF). This leading nonprofit organization is committed to raising awareness and funding research to prevent brain aneurysms.

“I wanted to organize and coordinate this run so that no other family would suffer like we did,” said Topper. “Although I couldn’t save her life, my sister saved mine by sharing with me the signs of a brain aneurysm. When I had a series of headaches, I went to the ER and was diagnosed. After scouring the internet, I came across The Bee Foundation and reached out. I’m so glad I did. They helped me in many ways, and this is just a token of my appreciation to give back to them.

This event is part of the larger TBF Race Series, which unites communities nationwide in recognition of Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month each September, with some races extending into October. The series aims to surpass last year’s impressive fundraising total of over $80,000.