Saints lose at Carolina, playoff hopes darken
December 30, 2013Agnes Bourgeois Adams
December 31, 2013
In the final days of Houma native Ross Mullooly’s life, the cancer-stricken young man was mostly immobile and unable to live the common life of a 22-year-old man.
“He couldn’t really get around much,” Ross’ mother Monica Mullooly remembers. “He wasn’t feeling his best and he definitely couldn’t do some of the things that he would have wanted to be doing, that’s for sure.”
But even with his ailments hampering his life, Ross was able overcome it all to start a revolution – an annual race that has rallied a community and that raises thousands of dollars for Hope Lodge and cancer patients.
The 2nd Annual Ross Mullooly Project: Outrunning Cancer 5K Run and 1 Mile Fun Run took place on Dec. 14 in Houma. The race is popular locally and has become something folks in the Tri-parish area look forward to each winter.
The conditions for the second go-round were soggy – rain dampened a lot of the forecast that day. But the wet conditions allowed the race to go off without a hitch – something Monica Mullooly said makes she and her husband and Ross’ father James smile.
Hundreds turned out despite the rain and enjoyed a day filled with money raising and remembrance for Ross, who passed away this past April after a multi-year battle with the deadly disease.
“As we walked out of the house that morning, we saw a rainbow,” the mother said. “I don’t know if you want (to read) a lot into that or not, but I just sort of knew that we would be OK. The event went fine. We were able to raise a lot of money, and I really think that Ross was with us on this day. Doing all of the planning and preparation shows us just how big an impact he really had. It makes us miss Ross just so much.”
Ross Mullooly’s story is that of a local hero.
Mullooly grew up in Houma a normal child with an abnormal love for competition and athletics.
In a December 2012 interview with the Tri-Parish Times, Mullooly detailed his passion.
“I’ve always loved sports,” Ross said. “That’s pretty much what I did growing up. Doing two sports at one time is pretty much what took up most of my time. Away from that, I was just like any other normal guy. I’d try and hang out with my friends whenever I could. But I didn’t always have a ton of time for that, because I was almost always occupied with a sport.”
Through that love, Ross progressed to Vandebilt and was a successful athlete. Monica Mullooly said her son was an All-State swimmer and cross-country runner for the Terriers.
The mother said Ross was athletic, but that one sport caught his eye more than others: running. The mother said Mullooly used to train tirelessly for the sport each day. After Vandebilt, he signed to continue his career at Nicholls.
“He worked so hard,” Monica said. “He’s always been someone who just found a way to get things done.”
But while at Nicholls, Ross started to be hampered with weight loss and fatigue. Doctors initially didn’t have an answer with preliminary estimates ranging from mono to other common college ailments.
But when those treatments all came back negative, the Mullooly family got bad news.
On Nov. 10, 2010, Ross was diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
He shared the somber feeling he felt upon being diagnosed.
“I don’t think anyone is ever mature enough to go through this type of situation at any age,” Ross said in last December’s interview. “But you mature while you’re going through it through the people that you meet and that you see. You have no choice but to grow up when you’re faced with those types of circumstances.”
So instead of sulking about the diagnosis, the young man decided he wanted to make a difference.
Ross started the Ross Mullooly Project in 2012 – two years into his fight and just after he learned that his cancer had worsened and grown to a Stage 4 level.
The young man’s plan was to create a small fundraising non-profit organization designed to raise money for Hope Lodge and cancer patients.
But with community support and help from friends and family, the cause blossomed and became popular locally.
The first-ever Ross Mullooly Project run took place last December in Houma. Ross was able to attend that event, which was so widely acknowledged as a success that a second run was immediately a certainty.
But while Ross did most of the legwork for the first run, his family took the anchor in the second go-round.
Mullooly passed away on April 21, 2013. Not wanting to let their son’s mission fade, the family decided to push forward.
Very quickly, they learned just how much dedication Ross had given to his cause.
“We didn’t know how much he was actually doing,” Monica Mullooly said. “This year having to plan without him, we learned just how much work he was doing and just how much he had done. It just means so much as a mother to know that my son set something in place that is in a position to do so much good for so many people.”
The second-annual event wasn’t ideal because of weather, but it was still a hit.
The event generated $15,000, which will be dedicated to the Patrick Taylor Hope Lodge for use in its kitchen repair.
Participants in the race also donated 22 units of blood in a blood drive.
Those who attended the race didn’t get to see Bandit perform – the rain washed out their performance. But the music group’s singer stayed and entertained the crowd as a DJ, playing tunes to entertain the crowd.
“We made it work,” Mullooly said. “It could have been a hurricane and those people would have been there. They were there for Ross. They were there to honor what we’re doing.
“You know, people are so quick to say that Louisiana is last in this list or last in that list. But we’re first in people. You’ll never find people like you’ll find in Louisiana that are so willing to help you out. It warms your entire soul.”
When asked about a 2014 race, Monica Mullooly said she and her family plan to keep going strong.
The founder of it all may no longer be here, but his vision continues to impact the lives of others struggling with cancer.
“He left me with a great business plan – we’re just following the foundation he left,” Monica Mullooly said. “Those people need help. Every little bit – even the smallest things let them know that someone cares. That’s what we’re here for. That’s what Ross would want.
“We know that he’s proud.”
2nd Annual Ross Mullooly
Project: 5K Results
1st Overall Male: Jonathon Jeffcoat 16:50
1st Overall Female: Alexa Breaux 19:38
MALES:
20 & under age group
1st Cody Dryden 21:12
2nd Chase Dryden 22:58
20-29 age group
1st David Gravois 21:03
2nd Tyler Folse 24:59
30-39 age group
1st Michael McNabb 20:47
2nd Jerome Yesso 20:54
40-49 age group
1st Adam Lecompte 18:44
2nd Mark King 23:22
50-59 age group
1st Patrick Riggins 20:46
2nd Jerry Poirrier 37:35
60 and over
1st Joe Coyne 48:45
FEMALES:
20 & under age group
1st Taylor Jones 23:00
2nd Alisha Lirette 23:25
20-29 age group
1st Stephanie McNabb 19:45
2nd Erin Kennedy 24:59
30-39 age group
1st Andrea Lotz 22:42
2nd Laure LeBlanc LeCompte 23:33
40-49 age group
1st Belinda Ourso 28:19
2nd Sabrina Laurent 37:13
50-59 age group
1st Robbie Hafernick 30:08
2nd Amy Melancon 46:39
