When Kevin Hannan lines up at the starting line of the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon this November, he won’t just be thinking about the 26.2 miles ahead. He’ll be carrying the memory of his father, whose life was cut short by pancreatic cancer in 2023.
Both of Kevin’s parents grew up on Long Island, and his father was born in the Bronx, making the route through New York City a journey through the streets that shaped his family’s roots. Kevin will turn grief into action, raising funds and awareness for pancreatic cancer through Project Purple—each step a tribute, each mile a reminder of his father’s lasting influence on the person Kevin has become.
Finding His Stride
Kevin Hannan never saw himself as a runner. It wasn’t until his late twenties, when he was looking for a way to get back in shape, that he laced up his first pair of running shoes. What began as a starter 5K gradually grew into 10Ks, half marathons, and eventually full marathons.
“I’m not a traditional runner,” he admits. “I’ve never been really fast or anything, and it’s always a struggle for me, but it’s a good way to stay in shape, so I’ve continued it.”
Running, Kevin explains, is more than just a physical activity, though. It’s a structured way to channel discipline, determination, and focus. “I’m very regimented, so I like having a schedule,” he says. Races and training plans help him stay consistent and accountable, pushing him to meet the goals he sets for himself while maintaining both mental and physical fitness.
Beyond physical endurance, running has become a mental practice: a way to check in with himself and cultivate gratitude. He admits running, in general, “is not a fun thing” for him, but he does it to remind himself of the opportunities he has and the privilege of being able to take on such a challenge.
He thinks of the many people who aren’t able to push their bodies the way running allows, which is exactly why he runs—because he feels fortunate to have that ability and wants to honor that freedom in some way. “I keep thinking, ‘I’m lucky to be able to do this,’” he says. “It gets tough, but it puts things into perspective.”
A Life Remembered
Kevin’s father, Kevin Sr., was a devoted family man, defined by his work ethic and dedication to providing for his family, always showing up when it mattered most. While he wasn’t overtly expressive with words, Kevin knew his father’s love was evident in the way he could always be relied upon. “Whenever there was an issue, you knew he was there,” Kevin recalls.
Kevin Sr. worked tirelessly to support the family, while his wife stayed home to care for the household. At one point, they lived in Alabama, and his father would commute to Tennessee for work, only returning home on weekends. “He worked very hard for the family,” Kevin says, “and he instilled a work ethic that I still carry with me today.”
Beyond his dedication to work, Kevin Sr. was deeply caring, always willing to go above and beyond for others. “Even if he could be impatient over small things, when it came to large issues,” Kevin remembers, “he was always there and always calm in those situations.”
He and Kevin shared a love of sports, bonding over football and baseball, and particularly rooting for the New York Giants together. These shared passions, along with his father’s work ethic and caring personality, left a lasting imprint on Kevin’s own values and approach to life.
Kevin Sr.’s career was just as remarkable as his character. He began as an engineer after attending the Naval Academy, serving time on a submarine in the Navy. After retiring from the Navy, he continued his engineering work and eventually started his own business, creating computer programs for the Department of Energy, a venture he ran until his passing. Despite his accomplishments and vitality, Kevin Sr.’s health took an unexpected and sudden turn in the spring of 2023.
Sudden Loss
During a Memorial Day visit to Kevin’s home in late May of that year, his father mentioned feeling bloated and having a general lack of appetite. He had already scheduled tests to investigate these symptoms, which he had been experiencing for at least a month. When the tests were finally done, the results were sobering—he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
Kevin recalls the day he heard the news, noting how sudden and overwhelming it felt: “You have a parent who you knew never had any health issues at all, and then to get a call out of nowhere one evening saying he’s Stage 4, and knowing the survivability rate of pancreatic cancer, it was a big shock.”
The day after his father informed him and his sister about his diagnosis, after initially keeping it a secret for a week, Kevin Sr. was hospitalized and remained there until his passing, never leaving the hospital. His plans to begin chemotherapy and radiation were complicated when his kidneys began to fail, making treatment not a viable option.
The timeline was painfully short. From the initial symptoms to his passing on June 30, 2023, only about two months had elapsed. “We didn’t really have much time to process what was going on or anything,” Kevin says. The rapid progression of the illness left little room for preparation or closure, compounding the grief for Kevin and his family.
Despite the brevity of his final weeks, Kevin Sr.’s strength and dedication remained evident. Even in the face of his illness, the values he had lived by—hard work, care for family, and perseverance—left a profound mark on Kevin, guiding him as he chose how to honor his father’s memory, from selecting a meaningful race to supporting Project Purple’s mission.
Honoring a Legacy With the Help of Project Purple
Kevin had already run one marathon prior to his father’s passing, and his second was scheduled before Kevin Sr. became ill. In October 2023, months after his dad’s death in late June, he ran the Marine Corps Marathon, a commitment he felt he had to honor despite the immense grief of that period.
But, when thinking about what race to run next, Kevin knew he wanted something deeply personal—something that went beyond physical goals or a mental challenge, and instead carried real meaning connected to his father’s memory and legacy.
Kevin turned his attention to the TCS New York City Marathon, a race that would come to symbolize both his family roots and his dedication to honoring his father’s memory. “My family is from New York; my uncle and my grandpa were NYPD officers,” he explains. “I always wanted to run NYC, but never got in through the lottery.”
Finally securing a spot in the race through Project Purple gave him the opportunity to run the city he loves while supporting a cause that truly resonates with him. “It’s special because it connects to where my father is from, where my family still livesd, and it gives me a way to raise money for a cause that matters,” he says.
Running in his dad’s honor means a great deal to Kevin. His father wasn’t a runner—he once said the longest he ever ran was eight miles for the Navy—but Kevin sees the marathon as a way to raise money and awareness in his father’s name. Running through the Bronx, where his father was born, gives the race an even deeper meaning. “It’s an honor to do it in his name,” Kevin says, grateful for the support of people who have quickly met the fundraising requirements to make it possible.
Kevin’s journey is buoyed by the support of his community. After his father passed, neighbors and friends stepped in with meals and encouragement, a reminder that he wasn’t facing grief alone. That same support extended to his fundraising efforts: “When I posted about the campaign on Facebook, I hit the minimum fundraising goal the very same day,” Kevin recalls. “I know that’s not always how it goes, but I was lucky to have a strong group of friends and family supporting me.”
Kevin’s family has also been an essential part of his journey. His wife helps him manage the demands of training while caring for their two children, ages seven and ten, ensuring he has the time and space to prepare. His kids, along with his mother and relatives from Long Island, will be in New York to cheer him on, making the experience even more meaningful.
Training for the marathon has required discipline, even more so given the emotional weight of running in his father’s honor. “Even though I try to stay regimented, you can always be like, ‘Ah, I’m gonna take a day off,’” Kevin admits. “But this one, I’ve raised a bunch of money and people have donated, so I’ve got to actually go for it and see how I can do when I really apply myself.”
Looking ahead to race day, Kevin anticipates a mix of emotions. “I’ve done three marathons before, but those weren’t for something as important as this,” he says. He knows he will feel something very strongly, whether it’s happiness or grief, but no matter what, he is sure it will feel amazing to cross the finish line.
New Connections and Hopes
Running the marathon in his father’s honor is more than a tribute or a personal achievement for Kevin—it has given him a deeper sense of connection and meaning in his life. Through every training run, every early morning, and every mile on race day, he feels closer to his father than ever before.
Kevin stepped into his father’s role in his business after he passed away, managing contracts, payroll, and day-to-day operations. He even admits he didn’t really know exactly what his dad did for work. “It was really out of necessity,” he says, “but going through his emails, seeing the programs he developed for the Department of Energy and how he maintained relationships with clients, I got to see a side of him I never knew while he was alive.”
Balancing the demands of the business with marathon training and grieving was challenging, but running became a necessary outlet. “Getting out there, running, putting headphones in, and being in your own little world for a couple hours—it was a great escape,” Kevin shares. Between managing the business, his full-time job, training, and being a dedicated father and husband, the days were full.
However, his solution was clear: structure and discipline. By sticking to a strict regimen—waking up at 5 AM to fit in his runs and carefully carving out time for work and family—Kevin found a way to honor his commitments while processing his grief. “It forced me to manage my time, and while it was tough, it helped me keep going,” he reflects, acknowledging that the routine became both a coping mechanism and a source of strength.
Through managing all these different commitments, Kevin began to see himself in the way his father lived his life—disciplined, responsible, and unwavering in his obligations. “My dad always told me, ‘If you say you’re going to do something, you need to do that,’” Kevin shares. “And that’s what he always instilled in me: you’ve got to keep your word, follow through on what you plan to do, and not quit unless there’s a really good reason.”
Beyond honoring his father and embracing these lessons in responsibility, Kevin carries a broader hope for the future. “Ideally, there would be a breakthrough that significantly increases the five-year survival rate,” he says, reflecting on the devastating impact of pancreatic cancer. “It’s one of the worst cancers to be diagnosed with, so the hope would be that more people don’t have to experience what my family went through.”
To support Kevin’s run in honor of his father and to help raise awareness for pancreatic cancer, donate to his fundraising page here.
If you’d like to run or participate in an event of your own for Project Purple, visit our events page.
