The 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon is more than just a race for Pastor Jason Anderson. Seventeen years after his wife, Judith Lopez, passed away, he is running the race to honor her memory. Along the way, he hopes to celebrate the communities that have shaped his life and transform his grief into purpose.
Running has always been central to who he is, helping him connect with others and with himself. Today, it also allows him to give back, find meaning in his loss, and keep moving forward—both on the road and in life. Jason’s love of running, his faith as a pastor, and his commitment to community come together with every mile. Each step of his journey honors the past and looks toward the hope of what can still be built.
To help support Jason’s run and his mission with “Faster Than Pastor,” donate to his fundraising page here.
Running Through Life
Jason describes running as a healthy obsession, a part of who he is and what is important to him. Long before tragedy affected his life, it served as a way to connect with new communities whenever circumstances changed.
“Running was my entry point to meeting new people and to get established in that community,” he explains. When he had to relocate multiple times for graduate studies, joining local running clubs and hitting the roads offered Jason both connection and belonging. It became a way to feel at home no matter where life took him.
That same adventurous spirit carried over into his life with Judith Lopez, a partnership defined by curiosity and a love of discovery. As Jason recalls, “We really had this most amazing adventure together, learning who we were and learning about our place in the world.”
Their life together was full of whirlwind experiences. In just two years of marriage, they lived in three different countries: Mexico, Canada, and the United States (Texas). “We really were just all over the place and saying yes to all of life’s opportunities,” he says.
Judith’s warmth and joy left an indelible mark on everyone around her. Born in Mexico, she pursued her passion for helping others, aiming to become an educational counselor.
“She had the biggest smile, she was bubbly and really joyful, and she could light up a room,” Jason recalls.
Her dedication to people, her love of life, and her infectious energy shaped the family they were building together. Life seemed to be coming together for them, until everything changed.
A Life-Altering Diagnosis
During her pregnancy with their son, Judith began experiencing unusual symptoms. At first, the couple assumed they were just side effects of pregnancy, not realizing something more serious was happening, which Jason describes as completely “earth-shattering.”
It wasn’t until their son was four months old that they noticed something was truly wrong, and they discovered that Judith had pancreatic cancer, which had already spread aggressively through her liver, esophagus, and gastrointestinal system. “It was a quick diagnosis to death,” Jason recalls. She passed away when their son was just seven months old.
He recalls the support his family received during Judith’s illness, friends and relatives who opened their homes and helped provide stability amid the chaos of treatment, and sees it as a model for how communities can make a meaningful difference.
“There were people that came along in our journey that made sure that we were well cared for as we were pouring all of our care into Judith,” he says. “I can’t even imagine how disruptive that was for them, and I bet they can’t imagine what a blessing that was for us.”
Suddenly, Jason was a new father and a widower at 31. “There I was with my little boy, trying to figure out life and all the anger and all the frustration and all the sadness and all the grief,” he shares. Running became his refuge. “Everything was wrapped up through my running,” he says. “It’s kind of how I dealt with my emotions and tried to wrestle with my grief and sadness. And running became a big deal for me, not just a hobby.”
“Running is where I would do most of my crying,” he admits. Each mile became a private space to process sorrow, honor Judith’s memory, and find a sense of control and purpose amidst life’s chaos. Through the rhythm of the roads and the discipline of the sport, Jason not only preserved a connection to the life he had shared with Judith, but also carried forward the values she embodied.
“Being a part of helping people heal and helping people work through their traumas was really, really valuable to her,” he reflects. Her compassion and commitment left a lasting mark on him and shaped the way he approaches life, running, and community.
Finding a New Team: Project Purple and the Chicago Marathon
After Judith’s passing, Jason felt the weight of profound isolation. Living in Canada at the time, he struggled to find people who truly understood the unique and complex circumstances of his loss. With his world being suddenly turned upside down, he found it difficult to navigate life while carrying a grief that felt almost too heavy to share. Running had always provided an outlet, but he longed for connection, a way to honor Judith’s memory beyond his solitary miles.
That connection arrived when Jason discovered Project Purple. At first, he saw the organization simply as a way to raise money for pancreatic cancer research and a way to transform personal pain into something meaningful for others. But it quickly became far more than that.
“I got on these calls with everybody else, and they were sharing such intimate stories… and it really started resonating with me, especially with my wife’s diagnosis,” Jason recalls.
Through Project Purple, he found a true community: a space where experiences could be shared openly, loved ones could be honored, and collective action could transform personal stories into purpose.
“I don’t feel like I have to explain myself, defend myself, or feel like I’m making somebody feel sad, because we’re all in the same boat. And I was just really free,” he says. “It felt great to not have to protect others or hide.”
The organization gave him freedom; the freedom to grieve without apology, to honor Judith without reservation, and to connect with others who truly understood the intersection of love, loss, and hope.
“Before I got involved, I had never met anyone who had won their fight against this cancer,” Jason reflects. “Now, I hear stories of people living with it, thriving despite it, and it inspires me to continue the fight. Community is everything.”
Footsteps, Faith, and “Faster than Pastor”
As a pastor, Jason has long understood the power of community and collective effort. His faith informs every aspect of his life, guiding him in supporting others, nurturing relationships, and creating spaces where people can find healing and hope.
“We are greater than the sum of our parts,” he says. “When we come together, we can have a huge impact on things. Religious people even use words like ‘miraculous.’ We are able to do such profound things in the world, like cure cancer.”
When the opportunity to run and fundraise with Project Purple arose, Jason saw a chance to combine his passions for running, service, and community impact. “I just thought, ‘yes, I need to be doing something. I need to fight cancer and can’t ever stop fighting cancer.’ It aligned so wonderfully with my running—it’s kind of a perfect outlet for me,” he says.
Bringing this ethos into his running and fundraising work, however, required careful thought. Integrating a marathon fundraiser with his congregation raised potential ethical dilemmas: how could he encourage participation without exerting pressure, and how could he ensure that the focus remained on service?
As an answer, Jason introduced the initiative as a shared mission: a chance for his community to be active, connect with one another, and contribute to a cause larger than themselves. “Once I got the thumbs up to do fundraising from within this community, it was a no-brainer that Project Purple would be the charity we would support,” he recalls.
The congregation embraced the initiative, creating what they call “Faster Than Pastor.” While Jason tracks his own mileage for the Chicago Marathon, church members are encouraged to run or walk and log their own miles, collectively contributing to the cause.
“For me to expose a little bit more of the vulnerable side of being a human and a leader, it was really, really well received,” Jason recalls. “With that just really came a lovely outpouring of people who all wanted to pitch in in their own little way.”
The initiative also reflected the church’s broader commitment to health and well-being. “What makes me really happy is that we’ve created an event where people can support a meaningful cause while also being active and taking care of their health,” he says.
A big part of what his church is about is making sure members are strong in body, mind, and spirit. The physical aspect, being healthy and active, was thus something they could all do together through this project. “It’s gotten people outside, moving, and connecting, and I’m truly grateful for that.”
Fatherhood, Family, and Moving Forward
Jason’s journey as a father has been profoundly shaped by both loss and love. When Judith passed away, he was left to navigate the demands of caring for a newborn while grappling with grief that felt overwhelming. His son quickly became his anchor, providing purpose and strength in the midst of uncertainty.
“He became everything,” Jason says. “I didn’t have the luxury of giving up. I had to show up as my best self so he could have every opportunity.” Even in the hardest moments, thinking about his son gave him reason to persevere, to keep moving forward, and to channel his grief into action. “He really saved my life.”
Fatherhood demanded resilience. Jason embraced the full responsibilities of parenting on his own, ensuring his son received the support and care he needed. He also became a pillar for other grieving parents in his community, forming support networks to help families navigate loss while remaining present for their children.
But above all, running remained his personal sanctuary, a place to process grief, while fatherhood became the outward expression of resilience and love.
Now remarried, Jason continues to honor Judith’s memory while nurturing his current family. “I have my former wife in mind, my current wife in mind, my family in mind, and all the people supporting me,” he explains.
He reflects on how their encouragement fuels his drive: they support him not just out of love, but because they want to be part of a larger fight for an important cause. “There are all kinds of people who’ve been impacted by this disease, and I feel like I’m doing my small part alongside everybody else.”
This community provides daily motivation and inspiration, reminding him of the importance of presence, resilience, and hope. “Even on the hardest days, when the sun is too hot or my feet hurt, I remind myself there’s a greater cause,” Jason shares. Each mile he runs and every fundraising effort he undertakes is both a tribute to Judith and part of a collective fight that touches many families.
For Jason, the Project Purple community has been transformative: “This group is a huge gift,” he concludes, providing both support and inspiration for those affected by pancreatic cancer.
If you’d like to run or participate in an event of your own for Project Purple, visit our events page.
