Erik Spoelstra hitting the streets amid hectic Heat schedule for 5K that hits home, benefits 'angels from above'

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Dec 20, 2024

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

MIAMI — The back-to-back set on Friday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Saturday night at the Orlando Magic already made for a hectic weekend for the Miami Heat. But coach Erik Spoelstra is taking it a step further, actually several strides farther, with what he already views as a victory on Sunday.

In the midst of a hectic portion of his team’s schedule, Spoelstra is hosting his first Coach Spo’s 5K, an event benefiting Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and the Miami Heat Charitable Fund.

The Sunday event that begins at 7:30 a.m. at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital (3100 SW 62nd Ave., Miami), will come just hours after the Heat’s return from their game in Orlando.

But to Spoelstra, it can’t come soon enough.

Mostly because it is personal.

Spoelstra’s oldest son, Santiago, was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma, a serious and fast-growing form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, after an unexpected intestinal surgery the day after his fourth birthday. Through months of treatment at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Santiago was deemed in remission in July 2023.

“This is something that I’ve wanted to do for a couple of years,” Spoelstra said on the practice court at Kaseya Center, ahead of Friday night’s game. “It’s dear to our heart, the cause, our family. And the Miami Heat foundation has been tremendous with this.

“The staff and people that work at the Miami Children’s Hospital, they are angels, angels from above, and I can’t recommend it enough for people to go visit and just see what they’re about and see what kind of miracles are happening there. You can go there and just offer encouragement. Donations are awesome, as well.”

Registration for the event is open through Sunday at 7 a.m., with a $50 registration for the 5K and a $10 registration for those ages 2-9 for the event’s Kids Dash. Registration is available at runsignup.com/Race/FL/Miami/CoachSpo5K.

“We’re going to have a festive day,” Spoelstra said. “It’ll be a day of bringing a community together, to have fun, built around a healthy activity. You can walk, you can run, you can jog, you can participate, or you can just celebrate. But it’ll be a fun morning, and all the proceeds will go to the Miami Children’s Hospital.

“I think it’ll be a really impactful day for people’s spirits and hearts. And at this time of the year, I think we can all use a little bit of that, and, more importantly, give that to people that need it.”

Even before his son’s illness, Spoelstra had stressed the meaning of the Heat’s annual Pink, Red & White Game, an annual preseason intrasquad scrimmage breast-cancer benefit, embracing survivors during those events.

“You know, I realized that before, when you have people going through it,” he has said. “And then when it hits that close to home, man it scares the ... out of you.

“But the inspiration of other survivors is what gets you through it.”

Inspiration that Spoelstra plans to share during a Sunday postrace talk on, “the importance of staying fit, taking care of your health, discipline, and giving back to our community.”

Included at the event will be appearances by the team mascot Burnie, Heat broadcaster Jason Jackson and what also has been listed as “other surprise appearances.”

Spoelstra and the Heat then will resume their schedule on Monday night at Kaseya Center against the Brooklyn Nets, their final home game of the calendar year.

As for Sunday’s event, such outreach has been ongoing for Spoelstra, 54.

“It’s obviously something that’s very dear to me and my family,” he has said. “But also in the Heat organization, we’ve had so many family members that have fought the disease or are fighting this awful disease, and that’s why we’re also so inspired to come together and fight it.”