ARAB, Ala. – The Stride for Sophia 5K will take place Saturday, March 7, at 9 a.m. at Arab City Park, inviting the community to celebrate the memory of 15-year-old Sophia Aldridge while raising awareness for youth mental health.
The race will not be officially timed, allowing participants to walk or run at their own pace. Medals will be awarded to the top four female runners, the top four male runners and the top four runners age 10 and younger. Participants are encouraged to wear pink, Sophia’s favorite color. Registration is $30 per participant, with all proceeds benefiting WellStone Inc., a north Alabama mental health organization that provides services to youth, adults and families.
The race was created by Sophia’s family one year after her passing due to mental health struggles. Sophia’s family says the race is both a tribute to Sophia’s life and a way to help ensure other families have access to the resources and support they need.
“Sophia was an energetic teenager who loved other people,” said her mother, Emilee Aldridge. “Sophia loved being around others and wanted others to feel important. She would see someone sitting alone in PE or walking in the hallways and she would go up and start talking to them because she didn’t want them to feel alone. Sophia was kind, sweet, funny, loving, happy, considerate and overall, a beautiful person to be around.”
Sophia, a student from the Arab/Joppa area, was also a dedicated runner with all the natural talent one could hope for, competing in cross-country and track for Arab Schools alongside her twin sister, Madelyn. With varsity coaches recognizing that talent, Sophia earned a spot on the varsity team in seventh grade and reached a personal goal in eighth grade by running a mile in 5:57. Sophia was well on her way to greatness within the program.
Yet even with all of that talent and success, it was Sophia’s heart that stood out the most to her mother.
“Sophia was always on the sidelines cheering others through their events,” Aldridge said. “She was so supportive of her team and loved being a part of her team.”
“On one of the cross-country races, Sophia was running her best and she passed a younger girl who looked lost,” she explained. “Sophia passed her, then decided to turn around and help this girl find her way back on the path and stayed with her the entire race. Sophia knew she wasn’t going to finish first or second this time, but she stopped to help a fellow teammate. This was Sophia.”
Now, it’s that same heart for others that fuels the purpose behind Stride for Sophia. In addition to honoring her life, the race is intended to help families access mental health support and resources that can sometimes feel difficult to find. Partnering with WellStone became an easy decision for the Aldridge family.
“WellStone is a well-known mental health resource in the Cullman and Huntsville areas who has a great impact on mental health,” she said. “When researching who we wanted to raise money for, I saw the growth they have had recently in helping out teens. They have a center, Kids in Crisis, which helps teens with all levels of mental health.
“Unfortunately, I did not know about this resource when Sophia was struggling,” she added. “As a parent, it’s hard to find the resources out there for mental health. We need to get information out to all families on what resources they have to help their teens. It seems the information is hard to find, and it should not be.”
The family hopes that the race will help open up honest conversations about mental health in young people’s lives and remind them that they have a greater worth than they give themselves.
“We want people to know they are perfect the way they are,” Aldridge said. “Every person is important, worth something, loved and they deserve to have the resources available to help them when they are struggling so much. We want to help in some way be able to get information out to people, to encourage the need for kids to talk and feel loved.
“No matter how depressed you may be, you are worth the help.”
She added, “We need to start talking about mental health and illness and not hide it. We should not be ashamed of mental illness. Our teenagers are surrounded with negativity all day at school, social media and friends and we as community members need to fill our lives with positivity and love.”
For those interested in registering may scan the QR code on the event flyer or visit https://runsignup.com/Race/AL/Arab/StrideForSophia5k. Registration will remain open through March 5.
For additional information about Sophia’s story, race registration or available mental health resources, contact stride4sophia@gmail.com. Arab City Park is located at 844 Shoal Creek Trail NE in Arab. Visit Facebook/Stride for Sophia for more.
