Alice and Ella’s friendship started the way a lot of good ones do: working long shifts together at restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan, back in 2018. A year later, during a moment when life felt increasingly unmanageable, Ella called Alice and shared that she was struggling. Alice, who had already been sober for several years after getting sober at 16, suggested they go for a walk.
That walk ended with shared stories, hard honesty, and Ella walking into her first AA meeting.
Since then, they’ve spent years showing up for each other in recovery and movement, despite physical distance and through every chapter of life. Running, biking, hiking, long conversations, too many voice notes, late-night phone calls, sending marathon finish line photos, and everything in between. What started as one walk became years of choosing to keep moving forward together.
Today, Alice has 12 years of continuous sobriety and Ella has 7. Movement has become a huge part of both of their recoveries — not as competition, but as connection: to themselves, to each other, and to a larger sober community.
Over the years, they’ve crewed and paced one another through races and through life. Ella paced Alice through the final 22 miles of her first 100 miler, Alice cheered Ella on from a distance as she crossed the finish line of the NYC Marathon, and now they’re honored to take on the Avalon 50 together with The Phoenix.
This run is a celebration of recovery, friendship, and the simple fact that sometimes a single walk can change the course of your life.
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This isn't just another fundraising campaign. The Giving Bridge is a movement of people who understand that recovery thrives when we build connections. Your bridge crossing—whether it's a famous landmark or a simple footbridge in your neighborhood park—becomes a powerful visual reminder that with support, we can all reach the other side of our most difficult challenges.
Please help me support The Phoenix by making a donation through my page. The process is fast, easy and secure. Thanks so much for your support... and please don't forget to send this page to any friends you think might be interested in donating!
