Cupertino Woman Runs In Napa-Sonoma Half Marathon To Honor Mom

CUPERTINO, CA — For Cupertino’s Victoria Ferreira, entering the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon on Sunday is more about the mental than the physical. Sure, it takes much athleticism to complete 13 miles at a runner's pace.

But Ferreira expects to be moved by a higher power — the love and inspiration of her mother, Carmen Ferreira, who died of endometrial cancer last December at the age of 64.

After all, the matriarch named her daughter Victoria because it stands for victory. It must have been a sign. Ferreira is also running for the American Cancer Society Team DetermiNation.

Ferreira, 31, moved from her home and left her NetFlix job last October to spend time with her mother at her parents' home in Miami — with her husband, two dogs, her brother, sister-in-law and their baby, along with her father's dog, cat and bird. It was quite the household.

She started running to relieve stress.

"I dove back into running, and it helped me through the most difficult thing my family has ever gone through," she told Patch. "You always live for that hope. My mom was my best friend."

Ferreira admitted running was an outlet that helped her escape the harsh reality of the demise of someone she loved so much.

"It's funny how I came upon the race," she said. "I'm running for her. So many people loved and cherished her."

When she runs, she imagines her mother flying over her and giving her wings.

Ferreira registered for the Napa to Sonoma race almost by accident. She had already committed to a July 28 half-marathon in San Francisco. Moved with the running spirit, she surfed the Internet, looking for another 13.1-miler. She came across the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon, which winds through vineyards and unfolds in the beautiful scenic countryside.

But the race was sold out.

The only way to earn an entry was to raise money for a charity. Ferreira saw that one of the charities was the American Cancer Society.

"Yes," she said at the time. "I want to do it for them."

Ferreira and her husband, Jose Manuel Pagani, talk eloquently about how special it was to walk in her mother’s world.

"Victoria’s relationship with her was unique," Pagani said. "Her mother was her best friend, her go-to person when she needed advice, when she needed a helping hand. For Victoria’s side of the family, (Carmen) was the glue. She still is the glue. She always had a great attitude for life. She filled the room with good energy."

Ferreira's mother was an accomplished woman. She was an attorney and owned a title company. She volunteered at school for Ferreira and her brother Arturo. She attended Ferreira’s basketball games and track meets. She was a woman of action.

The duo had a bond. Ferreira was born three days after her mother’s birthday.

When Ferreira earned entry to the Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon via the American Cancer Society, she wondered if she could raise the minimum $1,750. After reaching out to people who knew her mother, Ferreira raised $6,400 in just three weeks.

"It’s a testament to my mom’s legacy," she said.

Besides honoring her mother’s memory, Ferreira also hopes to find a platform for more research into rare types of cancers.

The American Cancer Society is a National Featured Charity partner of the 2019 Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon. Athletes running in the event as part of the American Cancer Society DetermiNation program will help fund the organization’s mission to fight cancer from every angle. Proceeds will support programs to fund breakthrough research and provide free rides to treatment centers, lodging near hospitals and a live 24/7 helpline.

All DetermiNation runners will receive a free entry into the half marathon or 5-kilometer race scheduled the day before.