Eric Baier

Eric Baier's Fundraising Page

My grandmother, Hattie Baier, known to her grandkids and many others as MomMom, was the kindest person I’ve ever known. MomMom was a gifted dancer, an avid shit-talker, a constant gift-giver, and a force of nature. She carried an energy that seemed to pull people toward her. Everyone in town knew Hattie and her lively family, and you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who spoke of her with anything less than glowing admiration. 

MomMom lived by a simple philosophy; there are two kinds of people in the world – Head people and Heart people. She raised each of her seven children, and later each of her 14 grandchildren, to be Heart people.

Most of the time I spent with MomMom was shaped by her battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Over the years, she lost pieces of the world around her – first the ability to recall her loved ones’ names, then to engage in full conversations, and finally to recognize even the most familiar faces. What never faded, though, was her warmth. Even when she could no longer speak in full sentences, and often when she had little sense of where she was or who she was with, the real MomMom would come back to us when she heard a song she loved. She would stand up, instinctively reach for a nearby loved one, and swing them into a dance. Even as Alzheimer’s stole pieces of her mind, it never reached the part of her that was joy.

It is for MomMom, and for all those with stories like hers, that I will be running the 2026 NYC Marathon in support of the Alzheimer’s Association. Running this marathon is one small way for me to honor her character and the goodness she encouraged in the world, while also supporting the Alzheimer’s Association’s work in fighting this disease. Especially meaningful to me is that the marathon falls on November 1st this year – MomMom’s birthday.

If you are interested, please consider supporting my efforts by making a donation. All funds raised benefit the Alzheimer's Association and its work to enhance care and support programs and to advance research toward methods of treatment, prevention, and, ultimately, a cure for Alzheimer's disease.