Thank you for such a beautiful piece on the inspiring walkers of Wissahickon Valley Park. I’ve been seeing and nodding to them for years. Over time, I’ve noticed shifts in their numbers and pace, but what has always inspired me is their consistency. No matter what, they just showed up.

I’ll never forget one day when my nephew was about seven. We were walking in the park when a group of runners and walkers passed us. My nephew ran alongside them, quietly keeping up until they suddenly noticed him and laughed in surprise. That moment stays with me because it speaks to the way the walkers and runners of the park have modeled a kind of quiet endurance — an example that plants seed for a lifetime. I loved the soundtrack reminder of “the crunch of sneakers on gravel.”

That same nephew is now an alumnus of Chestnut Hill College and leads a team of digital forensic analysts for TikTok. The walkers’ steady presence really does ripple outward.

And what a beautiful tribute to Harold Freeman. I was his and Diane’s neighbor. Harold was always up and out like clockwork. To this day, his example reminds me to move. He was such a light in the world, and the walkers of the Wissahickon continue to carry light forward. Thank you.

Gail Ramsey

Professor, Media and Communication

Chestnut Hill College