When Dalton, PA, Postmaster Tim Burke was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998, he decided he wouldn’t let the disease define his future.
Burke adopted a rigorous running regimen to push his physical boundaries. Eventually, he began participating in races and endurance competitions.
“I have lived with multiple sclerosis for nearly 20 years and decided that, instead of living with the fear of disability, I would make MS live with me,” Burke told the Times Leader newspaper.
Burke credits his wife, Susan, with giving him “the strength to continue even when I feel like I can’t or I don’t want to.”
The Burkes also use running to educate people about MS. The couple recently hosted a 5-mile run and 2-mile walk that raised approximately $10,000.
Burke’s community outreach doesn’t end there. He also visits local schools to teach children about the mail.
During a recent visit to a preschool, Burke read “Owney, the Mail-Pouch Pooch.”
“The kids enjoyed the story and I enjoyed talking to the Postal Service’s next generation of customers,” he said.