In June, Archbishop Molloy High School held a special event in memory of a beloved late alumna. Karina Vetrano, a member of Molloy’s first coed class of 2004 and an avid runner, lost her life in August 2016 after she was senselessly attacked while jogging near her home in Howard Beach, Queens.
Karina’s tragic passing touched the hearts of countless people both in and out of the Molloy community, and many reached out to ask what they could do to help. After months of planning by an event committee, which included members of Molloy’s Alumni Center and Karina’s classmates, Molloy hosted an overnight walk/run in Karina’s memory. The event also raised money to support the establishment of a scholarship in Karina’s name. The scholarship will benefit future young women entering Molloy.
The walk/run began at 8:00pm on Friday, June 23rd. In a dramatic moment, Phil Vetrano, Karina’s father and a member of Molloy’s class of 1974, ran the first lap alone while carrying his daughter’s running shoes. As he finished the first lap, Phil handed the shoes off to his son, and all other participants stepped off to begin their walk or run. The event went through the night, and at times through torrential rain, until 9:30am on Saturday, June 24th. Notable moments included the class of 2004 stepping off at 11:00pm to honor their friend (Karina loved the number 11), and the class of 1974 stepping off with Phil at midnight in a show of solidarity. In addition, many students and recently graduated seniors volunteered during and or participated in the walk/run, which was a wonderful act of love and support for Karina and the Vetrano family.
