Bold&Zeal founder Erica Bazerkanian returns to NYC Marathon for paralysis research

Erica Bazerkanian will run the TCS New York City Marathon on Nov. 1 for Team Reeve, marking her ninth marathon for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation and honoring her father, Jeff Stone, who died after a spinal cord stroke. The effort comes as Team #IAMSTONE tops $235,000 raised since 2017 and Bold&Zeal plans a Times Square tribute the next day.

Why it matters: - Bazerkanian's race keeps paralysis research and quality-of-life support in public view beyond marathon weekend. - Team #IAMSTONE has raised more than $235,000 for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation since 2017. - The Reeve Foundation estimates nearly 5.4 million Americans live with some form of paralysis. - Bold&Zeal donates 10% of proceeds from every purchase to the Reeve Foundation.

What happened: - Erica Bazerkanian, 53, will run the TCS New York City Marathon on Nov. 1 for Team Reeve. - The 2026 race is Bazerkanian's ninth marathon supporting the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. - The run comes days before the 10th anniversary of her father Jeff Stone's death. - Stone became paralyzed from the neck down after a spinal cord stroke in 2016. - Bold&Zeal plans a 60-second spot on the digital screen at 1560 Broadway in Times Square on Nov. 2. - Bazerkanian plans to be at the site with Team Reeve runners wearing their medals.

The details: - Stone's paralysis began on June 13, 2016. - For five months, Stone could not move, speak or eat, and his family learned to read his lips. - Stone served three years in the Army. - Stone later volunteered with a local veterans organization near his home. - While hospitalized, Stone set a goal to live long enough to see one more Veterans Day. - Stone died the next day, Nov. 12, 2016, at age 71. - Bazerkanian first ran the New York City Marathon with Team #IAMSTONE in November 2017. - That first team included 10 runners and raised nearly $60,000. - The team name reflects the family's belief that everyone carries some of Stone's grit and determination. - This year's Team #IAMSTONE has five runners. - The team has set a $30,000 fundraising goal for this year and has raised more than $20,000 so far. - Bold&Zeal was co-founded by Bazerkanian and her husband, Rafi, on Oct. 12, 2025. - The launch date matched the day Bazerkanian ran the Chicago Marathon for Team Reeve. - The brand also released The Stone, a limited-edition crewneck marking 10 years since Jeff Stone's stroke. - Bazerkanian is available for interviews in New York on Oct. 30, Oct. 31 and Nov. 2. - The Times Square photo opportunity is set for Nov. 2 at 1560 Broadway, with the exact time still to be confirmed. - Supporters can donate to Team #IAMSTONE at ChristopherReeve.org/IAMSTONE. - Race-week updates will appear on Instagram at @boldandzeal. - Bazerkanian's race bib is 19695. - Spectators can track Bazerkanian through the TCS New York City Marathon app.

Between the lines: - Bazerkanian has turned a personal loss into a recurring fundraising platform tied to race day and retail sales. - The Times Square activation extends the message beyond the marathon course and into a high-visibility public space. - Team Reeve's mission frames paralysis as a quality-of-life issue as much as a medical one. - Bazerkanian's quote positions the marathon as a tribute to her father and to people living with paralysis.

What's next: - Bazerkanian will race on Nov. 1 and join the Times Square tribute on Nov. 2. - Team #IAMSTONE will keep fundraising toward its $30,000 goal. - Bold&Zeal will continue tying product sales to donations for the Reeve Foundation. - Supporters can follow race week on Instagram and track the marathon in the official app.

The bottom line: - Bazerkanian is using the New York City Marathon, her apparel brand and a Times Square campaign to turn one family's story into ongoing support for paralysis research and awareness.