Jack Witzig has achieved what once seemed like an impossible goal: running every single street, road, and trail in Camden County, New Jersey.
Covering 2,237 miles, this extraordinary journey concluded on New Year’s Eve, and it marked the culmination of a three-year mission driven by love, loss, and a desire to make a difference.
The run was deeply personal for Witzig.
It was a tribute to his late father, Don Witzig, a beloved track and cross-country coach at Cherry Hill High School East and Cherokee High School, who passed away in 2016 after battling Lewy Body Dementia.
This neurological disease, which has symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, profoundly impacted Don’s life and left a noticeable impact on his son.
Jack hadn’t always been a runner. At 39, he took up the sport to lose weight, but it quickly became more meaningful.
After his father’s death, running became a way to stay connected to him.
It started as a simple gesture in his hometown of Merchantville, but soon, Jack realized he could turn his passion into a mission with a larger purpose.
In 2020, he began planning an ambitious journey to run every street in Camden County, excluding major highways.
Using mapping tools like CityStrides and spreadsheets, Jack meticulously charted his routes.
What started with familiar streets in Merchantville soon expanded to towns like Maple Shade and Haddon Heights, transforming his hobby into a countywide project.
With each mile, Jack pledged to donate 50 cents to the Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA).
By the time he finished, his efforts totaled over $1,000 in contributions to the nonprofit, which raises awareness and supports research into the disease.
Jack hoped his run would honor his father and draw attention to a condition that affects countless families.
Running through the county offered moments of reflection with a side of humor.
Encounters with hissing geese along the Cooper River and the satisfaction of crossing off towns on his running shirt became part of the journey.
For Jack, each step was less about dwelling on grief and more about moving forward, one street at a time.
Lewy Body Dementia, caused by protein deposits in the brain, affects movement, cognition, and behavior. Jack’s mission became more about raising awareness of this disease than finishing the miles.
He hoped to inspire others to find meaning in their pursuits, whether through exploring their communities or supporting causes close to their hearts.
Now a marathoner training for the Boston Marathon, Jack reflects on his achievement as a combination of discipline, purpose, and love.
Completing the run was about more than honoring his father’s memory; it showed that personal loss can be transformed into action and hope.
Through his miles, Jack Witzig has demonstrated the power of turning grief into purpose and has set an amazing example for the rest of us.
