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IBEW Daughter Races for Cancer Research

November 9, 2010

When Briana Nix was growing up on the windy, arid plains of western Texas, the daughter of two lifelong IBEW members began suffering from severe asthma.

“I was the kid who couldn’t walk down the street without an inhaler,” said Nix, 33. “I remember being sick for a lot of my childhood.”

But adversity proved to be a powerful motivator. After struggling with athletics as a child, Briana is now a solid distance runner.

Her transformation was nurtured by her father – former Midland, Texas, Local 460 Business Manager Cecil “Gene” Nix – who battled a rare form of head and neck cancer before his death in 2009. Briana said:

A few months before my dad died, I was talking to him about how I really wanted to run [a marathon]. My asthma had gotten better since I moved to New York in 2003. He told me, ‘Give it a shot. I know you can do it.’

Gene’s encouragement and spirit live on in Briana, who completed her first 26-miler last Sunday – the grueling New York City Marathon, which she finished in 5 hours 5 minutes 56 seconds. She began training for shorter races during Gene’s final months, and she said the strict regimen offered an emotional release:

After I lost my dad, I’d look forward to long runs atthe end of the day.It became very therapeutic. I kept thinking about how sick he was, how he battled cancer for six years. He wanted nothing but to beat the cancer and be around for my brothers and my mom. I thought, if he can fight for that long, I know I can do this.

I wanted to honor him with this race.He and my mom taught us to be courageous, and I know theyare both proud of me.

To make the run more than just a test of endurance, Briana raised nearly $4,000 for the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation, a New York-based organization that unites scientists worldwide to develop ways to prevent and combat the disease.

Fundraising for Waxman and running this race “were a natural fit,” Briana said:

The foundation focuses on specific forms of cancer like my dad had. I’m happy that by running, I can help channel some money to an organization that helps make patients hopeful.

Many donations came from IBEW members near and far – “my extended family,” Briana calls them. Until she was old enough to attend school, her mother Debbie – also an IBEW electrician – traveled with Gene across the country signing books and working in new places. In their journeys, they cultivated ties with members as far away as Las Vegas and San Francisco.

“We’ve worked all over,” said Debbie Nix, now a member of Albuquerque, N.M., Local 611:

Briana got donations from so many of our brothers and sisters across the country. People sent money like crazy. There was an amazing amount of people who stepped up to donate.

Briana said the contributions for the race mirrored members’ kindness during her father’s illness. When Gene got sick in 2003, friends in the union came to his aid, she said:

We were grateful for the encouragement sent my Dad's way. The local's sick and needy fund is just one example of how the members rally for their own. My dad took so much pride in being a part of this organization, and I can see why. People have been wonderful. They still call to check in on my mom and make sure she’s doing OK.

She said that growing up in a union family helped shape her worldview and attitudes about work, charity and, through it all, adventure:

Being on the road as little kids taught my brothers and I about what kind of people we wanted to be – hard working, kind, adventurous. There’s a big world out there, made up of wonderful people, and I feel lucky our parents gave us a taste of that.

Briana said she may tackle another marathon in the future and is interested in trying other high-octane endeavors like competitive swimming and cycling.

“But for now,” she said, “I’m taking a rest.”

It’s not too late to contribute to Briana Nix’s race fund. Click here to make a donation.