Commack physical therapist to run 85 miles to inspire children with disabilities

Christine Astarita spends her days helping children and young adults with neurological problems improve their mobility and live more fulfilling lives.

This weekend, Astarita, the owner of Breakthrough Intensive Physical Therapy, will challenge the depths of her own mobility, running 85 miles from the Montauk Lighthouse to her Islandia office to inspire her young clients and raise money for Angela's House, a nonprofit that helps families with medically frail children.

During parts of her journey, which begins at 11 p.m. Friday and is set to conclude around 6 p.m. Saturday, Astarita will push some of her young clients in adaptive strollers while others will pedal along in adaptive tricycles.

"The last year, with COVID, was really tough on everybody but especially on this community," Astarita said, noting that during the pandemic, many of her clients lost their primary support system and often could not adapt well to telehealth. "I wanted to bring the community together and make this a really positive and uplifting event where these kids can be part of something fun and really cool."

Astarita, 32, of Commack, was inspired by Dick Hoyt, who became internationally renowned for pushing his son Rick, who was born with severe cerebral palsy, in a wheelchair through dozens of marathons and Ironman triathlons. Hoyt died in March at 80.

"I always envisioned myself wheeling our clients and making them part of something bigger," Astarita said.

An avid runner, Astarita has run several marathons but this weekend's run will be unlike any challenge she's ever taken on. She will run the equivalent of 3.2 marathons, stopping only to eat or to use the restroom. During her training, Astarita topped out about 62 miles.

"What's another 23 miles? But I am not too concerned," she explained. "I know that even though it's going to be really physically and mentally challenging, that having the support of the community and having my clients meet me on the course and getting to see their smiling faces is going to be carrying me through."

To date, Astarita has raised $8,000 for Angela's House in Hauppauge and she created a fundraising website for Long Islanders to contribute to her efforts.

But Bob Policastro, executive director of Angela's House, said the awareness created by Astarita's run is equally important as the dollars raised.

"Awareness is so important because this is a very quiet population," Policastro said of the young children supported by his organization. "So for us the fundraising and awareness is fantastic."

Astarita will travel the majority of her run along Montauk Highway before transitioning to Broadway Avenue and then to Veterans Memorial Highway. She will be escorted by members of the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office.

Around mile 56 in Moriches, Astarita will be joined by her first client, a 5-year-old boy, and every three to five miles afterward she will transfer another child into the adaptive stroller. Astarita's staff will join her for the final mile before reaching the finish line celebration with family, friends and clients.

"This is not just for the Breakthrough families," she said. "It's for the whole community here and anywhere else. I want them to know they are supported and there's nothing we can't do together."

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.