Over 300 people made their way out to Jamesville Beach Park this past Sunday for something other than baseball. Several Le Moyne students and members of the surrounding Syracuse community stopped by to support Le Moyne’s Pat Wiese in his fight against bone cancer.

Jamesville Beach Park hosted the inaugural Patrick Wiese Foundation Fun Run/Walk, where participants trekked three miles in support and raised over $6,000 in the process.

Although Wiese did not participate in the run/walk himself because of his knee replacement this past October and exhausting chemotherapy treatments, he still was on hand to witness the support of Syracuse in his long fight.

“It was amazing seeing a lot of people from Le Moyne,” Wiese said, who spent time cheering on participants along the side of the course. “This is just a testament of the type of community Le Moyne is. When someone needs help, everyone else stands up. That’s why Le Moyne is the best. I wasn’t surprised at all seeing all those people from Le Moyne because everyone I’ve met at Le Moyne has a heart two times too big and they will do anything for those in tough situations.”

Wiese has already seen much support from Le Moyne, as his fellow baseball teammate and senior Nate Reynolds helped him to organize the Patrick Wiese Foundation. Reynolds also organized “Pray for Pat” shirts that were sold in the beginning of Wiese’s diagnosis and the men’s basketball game on Nov. 16 honoring Wiese, where a $5,000 check was presented to Wiese for his foundation.

While the weather wasn’t ideal, the turnout was great, with several members of the run/walk sporting new “Team Patrick” t-shirts. After the run/walk, there was a cook out and lawn games for participants of all ages to participate in.

This event culminates all that Wiese has experienced throughout his treatment. With his chemotherapy ending on May 7, Wiese knows that he has support from Le Moyne and his family, especially his little cousin Cooper, who added his own donations with his “Pennies for Pat” program.

“It has been the longest year of my life with the completely knee reconstruction and seven months of intensive chemotherapy,” Wiese said. “The feeling right now as I only have three days left of treatment is unexplainable. I’ve cried every day last week and this week because I’m so happy to be done with the hardest thing I could ever imagine.”

While Wiese’s event raised over $6,000 and is considered a major accomplishment, one of the greater ones is coming up within the next few weeks.

“To be done [with chemotherapy] right before graduation and to be able to walk across the stage by myself with all the people I came into Le Moyne with four years ago is a dream come true,” Wiese said. “I couldn’t have graduated without the support of my friends and professors. Everyone at Le Moyne went above and beyond in helping me graduate this year.”

As the next chapter looms large in front of Wiese and his fellow seniors, there is one thing for certain: there will definitely be several more Patrick Wiese Foundation Fun Run/Walks in the future.

“This is something I want to continue to do,” Wiese said about the event. “I don’t want it to be a one-and-done sort of fundraiser. I want to continue to raise money for cancer patients for as long as I can.”

While the cancer may have touched his knee, it certainly hasn’t touched his heart. And looking forward, past graduation, Wiese will always have his Le Moyne family right by his side.