NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It is always a grand day in Nashville for a wonderful cause. The St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running Series returns this Saturday morning.
If you've ever been or watched our coverage, there's a familiar face you'll probably know. There's an important new chapter in his story.
"I'll hear from somebody in the crowd, 'hey, there's a juggler?!" smiled Dave Quint, juggling as he spoke. "I say, 'where?! I keep hearing that! Where's that guy?! Who's that guy juggling and has he been doing that the whole way?'"
Yes, he has. Dave's a Navy vet, the dad of a blended family of 15 kids, and a running juggler.
"I was bored standing watch at the Naval Academy, and I thought, 'I'm going to bring some tennis balls and learn to juggle,'" Dave said. "So I did. That's how it happened."
What Dave does isn't just for the fun or sport of it. This purpose runs deep. A brain tumor took his sister's life. Dave uses the attention from the juggling to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. He's been doing this for years including when his daughter Mira was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She has since made a full recovery.
"I had my third back surgery almost two years ago," Dave said. "All my doctors told me, 'you really outta stop running.'"
So, is that it for Dave's work for St. Jude? Well, no. Rather than running in the half marathon, he's walking this year in the 5K. The running will be taken over by a friend he's had for a long time.
"I think 12 years?" Jesse Harrison said, also juggling as he spoke. "We've watched each other grow."
Jesse picked up juggling as a teen the same way all the greats learned.
"Diet of Ramen Noodles and Pizza Rolls; I didn't have any money to buy any juggling balls," he said. "It was socks! It was three pairs of rolled-up socks, and I couldn't break anything with socks."
With Dave walking and Jesse running, both are training and ready to do something great for St. Jude.
"I couldn't imagine saying no," Jesse said. "I never knew I could use my talent, really, a natural gift, to raise money and awareness for St. Jude. I consider Dave to be one of my mentors. I feel like I've learned so much from him, just on a personal level. He's just a wonderful and amazing person."
"I'll be passing the baton to Jesse," Dave said. "For me, I'm going to keep walking and juggling until I just can't do it anymore. My life, my loved ones, are affected too much by cancer."
