The day began with laughter, cheers, and the pounding of little feet around the parking lot at Pennington Montessori School, as children raced in fun runs to kick off the fourth annual Miles for Malcolm event.
The school — where Malcolm Wildszewski and his brothers Tobias and Otis attended preschool — once again hosted the event that honors Malcolm’s life and memory. Despite overcast skies and the threat of rain, hundreds of runners, walkers, and supporters turned out on April 26 to participate in the beloved tradition.
Created in 2022 by Kimberly and Tara Wildszewski after Malcolm’s sudden passing in 2020, Miles for Malcolm raises funds for the Sudden Unexplained Death in Children (SUDC) Foundation. Alongside the children’s fun runs, the event features a timed 5K and five-mile course, family activities including face painting and balloon animals, and live music.
This year, 222 participants came out to run or walk in person, celebrating Malcolm’s legacy and showing the event’s continued strength as a true community gathering.
“It’s incredibly meaningful to us that we’ve been able to do it for four years,” Kimberly Wildszewski said. “Our team of friends have stood by us and have really helped make it happen year after year. Our sponsors have been consistent, the community keeps coming out for us. That’s phenomenal.”
Among the top finishers this year were Miles Hopgood (20:53), Nick Farr (21:58), and Sarah Graham (22:20) in the 5K, and Blake Connor (30:55), Joseph Keifer (33:13), and Isabella Crane (35:00) in the five-mile race.
The sense of connection was clear all along the course. Families, friends, and teachers from Pennington Montessori were along the streets holding handmade signs — “Smile like Malcolm (you’ll run faster!)” and “Run, Run, Run!” — while runners and walkers in Miles for Malcolm shirts made their way through the neighborhood. Kids of all ages joined including some who completed their first 5k.
Tara Wildszewski said it still moves them to see the community show up each year.
“A lot has happened in the world in the last five years,” she said. “People were distracted by their own fears and grief during the pandemic. So, the fact that people come back out every year helps us feel like we aren’t being forgotten and he isn’t being forgotten.”
Kimberly and Tara ran the 5K course themselves, with their ten-year-old son Tobias running alongside and their three-year-old son Otis — who is still enrolled at Pennington Montessori — riding along in a stroller.
Proceeds from the event support the SUDC Foundation’s mission to promote awareness, fund research, and support families impacted by sudden unexplained child deaths. Thanks to registration fees and additional donations, the event typically raises about $16,000 annually — and organizers expect to match or exceed that total again this year.
The Wildszewskis also extended their gratitude to their longtime sponsors, including Pennington Montessori School, Princeton Tree Care, Stop & Shop, and Ivy Rehab, along with many other local businesses that have helped make Miles for Malcolm possible each year.
Above all, the Wildszewskis hope Miles for Malcolm continues to celebrate the life their son lived, not just the loss.
“It means so much to us to have Malcolm remembered by or introduced to our communities,” Kimberly said. “This is how he lived beyond his 2 years, and how we make sure his legacy is not the tragedy of his death, but the joy of his life.”
photos by Seth Siditsky
