ADA NCO takes on triathlon in honor of friend’s daughter

Courtesy Photo | Staff Sgt. Camille McCue, the communications noncommissioned officer in charge with 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, poses for a photograph Sept. 12, after completing a triathlon at the Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area on Fort Hood, Texas. McCue, a Pullman, Wash., native, wrote “4 Faye” on her leg in honor of her friend Jane Coffey, of Middlesex, Vt., whose daughter passed away 10 years ago. (Courtesy photo)  

FORT HOOD, TX, UNITED STATES

09.12.2015

Story by Staff Sgt. Kimberly Hackbarth 

69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade

FORT HOOD, Texas – When Staff Sgt. Camille McCue, the communications noncommissioned officer in charge with 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, met Jane Coffey, of Middlesex, Vt., in 2013 in a social media group for an endurance race, she did not know it would lead to an inspirational lesson on living life to the fullest.

Coffey’s daughter, Faye, was stillborn 10 years ago and since then, Coffey has tried to do something physically demanding every year to commemorate it, she said.

For what would have been her daughter’s 10th birthday, Coffey said she wanted to do something big, so she reached out to her friends in the endurance sport community and asked that they do any kind of physical activity that day, especially if it was outside their comfort zone, in honor of Faye.

This year, McCue participated in her first triathlon, which was run by Fort Hood, and took first place in her age group.

Throughout the event she had “4 Faye” written on her leg, which helped her pull through the struggles throughout the race, to include getting kicked in the face during the swim, and the overall fatigue from swimming 300 meters, biking 12 miles then running a five kilometers, she said.

McCue, a Pullman, Washington, native, said she was shocked when she found out she took first place for her age group.

“To take first with not as much training as I would have liked, I was shocked, excited and happy,” she explained.

However, McCue was not the only one celebrating life in Faye’s memory.

Jane said she felt overwhelmed with surprise and joy to find out nearly 300 people took part in her request and sent her photographs of them with “For Faye” either written on their arm, leg, or on a sign.

“My child brought so many people together that weekend and she wasn’t even here,” Coffey said. “She never even breathed at all and she brought together (nearly 300) people, maybe more.”

Coffey said that losing a child is a taboo thing to talk about, but her willingness to share her story makes people thankful for what they have.

“When you go through something hard or tragic, all of a sudden everything seems really small,” she explained.

People should not wait to experience life, and McCue is a good example of that, Coffey said.

“I think (McCue) understands that,” she said “She’s present in her life.”

Since meeting Coffey, McCue has participated in many races and athletic events, to include a survival race in Nicaragua called “Fuego y Agua.”

“If the opportunity is there and it’s not going to set you back financially or cause disruption, there are amazing experiences out there,” McCue explained. “I can say that I slept in the crater of a volcano (and) that’s pretty cool.”

Participating in adrenaline-pumping and sometimes strenuous activities is an empowerment thing, she said.

“You don’t know if you’re going to make it through the first four hours of life, or if you’re going to be 104 years old,” McCue said. “People can’t be afraid to take chances.”

• Date Taken: 09.12.2015
• Date Posted: 10.13.2015 16:01
• Story ID: 178805
• Location: FORT HOOD, TX, US
• Hometown: MIDDLESEX, VT, US
• Hometown: PULLMAN, WA, US