Community Corner

Yorktown Man Enters 'Death Race' in Honor of Afghanistan Vet

Stephen Reid, a first responder during 9/11, is preparing for the Spartan Death Race taking place this summer. He is also doing the Mini GoRuck Challenge on Saturday, April 20 to raise money for his mother's house, which was destroyed by Hurricane

Overcoming challenges is nothing new for Yorktown resident and retired NYPD detective Stephen Reid. But he welcomes it as an opportunity to prove to himself that he can do anything and that he is still alive. 

In fact, what motivates him is getting a second chance at life, he said.

Reid, now 42, was a first responder during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. That day he was assigned to go to court for a case and as he was walking away, he saw the first plane hit the World Trade Center. 

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He immediately sprung into action and responded to the scene. 

"There will always be challenges in life you have to overcome," Reid said. "You choose to beat them or they beat you."

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Reid is preparing for an intense endurance challenge, known as the "Spartan Death Race," taking place in Vermont on June 21.

He is raising money for TEAM X-T.R.E.M.E., a non-profit organization that according to its website honors, empowers and motivates wounded service members. The team features active and veteran military members joined by wounded warriors who participate in various races and events across the country. 

The Yorktown man is also honoring his friend Cpl. Todd Love, a war hero who lost three limbs in Afghanistan and he lives his life to the fullest every day, Reid said.  

"I am doing this race to prove to myself that I can do it," Reid said. "The sky is the limit and I have no boundaries. This race will test me both physically and mentally harder then I have ever been challenged.

In the process, Reid will be raising $1,000 for TEAM X-T.R.E.M.E.

"There is no doubt I got a second chance," Reid said. "The survivor guilt is so overbearing."

After the attacks, it took him months to get out of the house. It took him years to get back to a normal life. 

Today, he believes there is a reason why he survived.

Reid said there was nothing that could stop him from finishing the 'Spartan Death Race'. Last year, he did another race, the Spartan Super Race, when he crawled for the last mile and a half after breaking his leg. He finished that race. Then just two weeks later, he participated in another race with a cast on his leg. 

The 'Spartan Death Race' is comprised of mud runs, obstacle racing, trail racing, physical challenges and mental challenges all in a 48-hour adventure race. On their website, organizers wrote that only 10 percent of participants will complete the race.

The man said he believes that despite the challenges in life, you have to pick yourself up, carry on and prove that you are still alive. 

"There are no guarantees in life," Reid said. "Tomorrow is not guaranteed to anyone."

Shortly after the terrorist attacks, Reid's wife wrote a paper about her thoughts before he came home and reflected on how happy and grateful she was her husband was alive.

In it she wrote:

"I am washing the ashes and debris and fiberglass off of your body and trying to clean the caked-in dust out of your hair. I watch it all go down the drain and hear you say, 'There are people in that dust.' And I watch solemnly as their ashes go down the drain [...]. It has been what we hope is the worst day of our lives. I lay my head on your chest and listen to the gift of your heartbeat and your heavy, labored breathing. I know I will feel sad about all those who were lost for a long time, but for the moment I am happy. You were there, just doing your job."

For his upcoming Spartan Death Race, the man has been preparing vigourously – from running to biking spending hours at the gym. He knows the race is going to be a "huge" mental and physical challenge and that he is going to be "bruised and hammered."

Spartan Death racers have no idea what to expect each year because the course map and list of challenges are kept secret. 

"That's the beauty for me," Reid said. "It's the challenge."

In the past, competitors have been asked to chop wood, carry a 20-pound stump and more. But the physical activity is one part of the glory. Reid said people might play mind games with them – for example, ask them to carry two buckets of rocks up a hill. Once they reach the top they are asked to memorize the names of 10 presidents, go down the hill and recite them in order. If they get it wrong, they start all over again.

"If you don't challenges yourself, you are never going to know what you're capable of," Reid said.  

To prepare for his June race, Reid is doing the Mini GoRuck Challenge on Saturday, April 20 at the Bear Mountain State Park. He is raising money to help his mother's house, which was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. 

To help raise money for Reid's cause, Abbott's Frozen Custard in Shrub Oak is holding a fundraiser on May 4 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. A portion of proceeds will go toward TEAM X-T.R.E.M.E.

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