Sudbury Sergeant Giving Heart-Felt Effort to Honor Late Friend

It was a cold winter day in 2006.

Nate Hagglund was in the midst of splitting about 2 cords of firewood for his Leicester home when he decided he wanted some company.

The future Sudbury Police Department sergeant called up his best friend next door, Devin Kravitz, and the two buddies spent the remainder of that chilly day cutting and chatting up a storm.

“He was such was a good kid,” Hagglund says, trying to hold back his emotions, “and he had this free spirit.”

About nine months later, the 22-year-old died unexpectedly of viral myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart.

To honor his best friend, an avid motocross racer who helped his childhood buddy learn how to ride a motorcycle on their hometown street, Hagglund is raising funds to participate in a half iron man competition on Lake Winnipesaukee in Gilford, N.H., on Aug. 18. The competition consists of a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1-mile run. 

He says he became motivated to train for the half iron man after training for the Marine Corp Marathon in 2011.

“I had a lot of fun, it was really exhilarating,” he says. “After I was really sore but I wanted to do something more fun.”

So Hagglund began to train in competitive swimming and was given a new bike, courtesy of Devin’s father, Stew, to help prepare him for the half iron man.

“I actually saw him (earlier this month) on the Cape,” Hagglund says of Stew. “He brought his grandson, Devin’s son. He never had the chance to meet him.”

Through T-shirt sales and sponsorships from local companies, Hagglund says he’s raised about $2,000 for the charity, Devin’s Cause, and hopes to raise another $1,800.

“The (Sudbury Police) department has been great, a lot of guys are buying T-shirts and the police association became T-shirt sponsor,” he says. “The Sudbury Permanent Firefighters Association also became a T-shirt sponsor, as well as some local businesses.” 

If you’d like to donate to the cause, visit devinscause.myevent.com.

“It’s a really good cause and I’m glad I chose it,” Hagglund says. “When doing something like this you’ve never done before, having a cause is a good motivator when you have to get up at 4 a.m. to train.” 

To learn more about myocarditis, visit http://www.myocarditisfoundation.org/)