Media Reviews

“She was quite a lady,” said David Kerry, who accompanied his sister to many of her cancer treatments. “This thing struck her down when none of us expected it.”  Two years later, Libby's family has resurrected the annual Kerrymen Pub Road Race and established Mary's Walk to benefit cancer research and education. The event will follow much of Libby's walking route.  The road race will be held Sunday, March 14, at noon, followed by Mary's Walk at 12:30 p.m. As usual, the race is scheduled on the Sunday before St. Patrick's Day, in recognition of the Kerry family's Irish heritage. Popular throughout the 1980s, the Kerrymen Pub Road Race was discontinued when the Kerry brothers found it too difficult to organize given the growing demands of their business. 

But for those huddled together at the Kerrymen Pub in Saco Sunday morning, it didn't matter. They kept warm because of love. Love for a woman who touched their lives and love for a marathoner running the race of his life.  Sunday marked the resurrection of the Kerrymen Pub Road Race. It had always been a favorite of local runners, but was a race that hadn't been run since 1992 when the Kerry brothers found it hard to make the time for the event.  “I was disappointed to see it discontinued,” Dave Kerry said of the race he helped his three brothers organize. “We decided it was time to bring it back”.  So the race, always run the Sunday before St. Patrick's Day, returned. But Sunday was more than a race. It was a day for the Kerry family to remember their sister, Mary Kerry Libby.  Sunday was the first Mary's Walk to coincide with the race. The walk raised money in Libby's name to benefit the Maine Cancer Research and Education Fund and the Bryan Fund.  This morning, organizers of the event were still totaling the amount of money raised by the race and walk. Between the 215 runners and the 300 plus people signed up for the walk, Dave Kerry expects the final number to fall between $15,000 and $20,000. 
Mary Kerry Libby died of cancer in 1997. She was a visible member of the community as she walked from her Ross Road home into town almost on a daily basis. She was never alone on the walk, though, as friends and family honked or waved if they happened to be driving by. 

The Kerry and Libby families figured there was no better way to honor Libby than with a walk to raise money in her name. 

“I'm really pleased so many people came down to take time out of their busy day,” Gene Libby, Mary's husband, said Sunday. “Mary didn't like to be the center of attention, but I'm sure she would be happy to see this.”  Before the festivities began, some took pictures of a large photo of Mary Kerry Libby on display at one of the tables behind the Kerrymen Pub. Others reminisced about Libby's love for taking care of her family. She was a remarkable woman,” Dave Kerry said.  The event began at noon with Libby's mother, Grace Kelly McNally, waiving the starting flag.  The Kerrymen Pub Road Race was back.

Participants followed green clovers posted on telephone poles down Route 1 and past Saco Defense before returning to the pub. It was a new route for the race and most seemed to enjoy it because of it's level terrain.  Paul Johnson, a student at the University of Southern Maine, was the first to cross the finish line in a time of 19:35.

He wasn't the only runner from USM. Each month his dorm chooses to take part in a community service event. Several residents of the dorm accompanied Johnson to the race for this month's event.  “You're actually doing something good,” the 21-year-old native of Buxton said of running in races to benefit a good cause. “We had people running today who haven't run for a few years.”  Kevin Way of Hollis (19:48) finished second and Barry Logan of Portland garnered third (20:08). 

On the women's side Christine Snow-Reaser, originally from Old Orchard Beach but now a resident of Dayton, won in a time 22:46.  Scarborough's Gayla Underkoffler finished second (23:38) and Laurel Valley of Parsonfield crossed the finish line in third (23:38).  “This is positive,” said Bryan Kuprewicz, a marathon runner from Sanford diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.  Friends and family have established the Bryan Fund to help him battle his cancer. He had a tumor removed from his abdomen recently and hopes to hear next month if the doctors were able to remove the cancer. 

Kuprewicz who has run in 13 Boston Marathons, was at the Kerrymen Pub Road Race Sunday helping runners through the finish chute. He made a point of attending the race to show people cancer hasn't completely changed his life.  

“It's different kind of challenge,” Kuprewicz said. “It's more of a mental change. I didn't ask why me? I decided to use that energy to get better.”  He said he was happy to see the race being run again. Even though it was shorter than most of the races he would run, Kuprewicz, 42, would run it anytime he could. 

“We'd run from Sanford to here and then run in the race, or we would run the race and then run back to Sanford,” he said.  The walkers began marching around 12:30. It took the first group about a half hour to finish the 2.5 mile loop. 

As they turned up the driveway of the Kerrymen Pub at the conclusion of the walk, they carried a yellow sign with “Mary's Walk” written in bold letters.  Some said it was an emotional trek knowing they were stepping where Mary Kerry Libby had often walked herself. 

Once back at the pub, bagels, sandwiches, hot soup and maybe even a Guinness or two awaited the walkers. 

“It wasn't that cold,” said Saco's Colleen Curran as she ate some soup. “By the time I got back, I had to take my jacket off.”  Curran, who took part in the walk hoping Sunday's event helps to better educate people about cancer, did not know Libby personally but knew of her passion for walking. Curran believed it was important to honor a woman who touched so many lives.  “I think she would be very happy,” Curran said.  With the success of this year's race and walk, there is little doubt Mary will continue touching the lives of others for years to come.