Track Team Honors Fallen Runner

By McKinley Stauffer: The Darien Boy’s Track and Field team honored Andy Pena before the team’s first home meet against Wilton High School on Thursday, April 7. Andy, a freshman, was a member of Darien’s Cross Country and Indoor and Outdoor track teams this year before unexpectedly passing away on Friday, March 25.

Before the start of the meet, the team, along with the Girl’s Outdoor Track and Field team, held a special moment of silence to commemorate Pena’s short-lived, but strong legacy within the Darien track program. Prior to the ceremony, Tyson Kaczmarek, DHS Boy’s Head Track Coach, said, “Many of Andy’s close friends are on the team. This will be a difficult meet for us. It will be very emotional.”

Andy’s teammates collectively wore black as part of their uniform for the meet by buying black tee shirts with Andy’s initials on the back. The boy’s team invited Wilton as well as the Darien girls’ teams at the meet to show support by wearing a black undershirt, spandex, socks, or sweatbands in remembrance of Pena. Before the first race, the 4 by 800, the meet officials announced that it was Andy’s goal to run a sub six minute mile during the outdoor season. In order to grant him his wish, the meet officials shot the starting gun and let the timer run for exactly 5:59 minutes. This was meant to symbolically represent Pena fulfilling his five minute mile goal. During the last twenty seconds of Pena’s run, the entire stadium clapped, cheering him to the finish line.

“After the ceremony, junior member of the Girl’s Track team Alex Pear said, “I thought it was really touching how both Darien and Wilton paid their respects for the full 5:59 minutes as Andy finally accomplished his goal. I think the audience really internalized it, and even those kids from Wilton who didn't know Andy personally were very affected. I think it was really successful in bringing us all together in honor of his memory.”

The Darien Boy’s Track and Field team will continue to wear these shirts and the color black at each meet throughout the season in Andy’s memory.