© 2025 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Darcy Wakefield, Chronicler of Life with ALS

Darcy Wakefield, whose commentaries chronicled her struggle with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gherig's Disease, has died at the age of 35.

In a December 2003 commentary for All Things Considered recorded just a few months after her diagnosis, Wakefield talked about how much she loved running, and how much she missed it:

"I remember running like I remember the sun-filled beach days of my childhood. I remember running like many remember their first love, their first kiss, their wedding. I remember running and feel the ache of absence, the heavy reminder that my life will never be the same again. I am continuously mourning running…

"Even though I no longer run, I still have a runner's soul. It's trapped in a runner's body that won't run. My runner's soul longs to work off the stress of my recent diagnosis and the stress of not running with a good run. It doesn't yet understand what has happened to us. These days I try to take pleasure in what now substitutes for running in my life. The other night, something told me to go down to the beach, and I did, even though it was late and dark. The beach was hard and smooth because the tide was out, and something told me to run. I ran around and around in circles. If you'd seen me, you wouldn't have called what I was doing running, but it was good enough for me. This is what I thought that night as I gave thanks: We are so lucky to be able to do this, all of our nerves and muscles working together, as we move ourselves forward to do this thing we call running."

Wakefield taught English at Southern Maine Community College and published two books, including I Remember Running: The Year I Got Everything I Ever Wanted -- and ALS. She is survived by her parents, her brother and sister, her partner Steve Stout, and their son, Sam.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.