BOZEMAN — What started as a detour during a Montana trip has turned into a nationwide journey for one New York family.
Alex Bisset is running five marathons across the country with the goal of completing 100 miles and raising $100,000 for Bozeman Health’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
“Today was only a half marathon and I have three more marathons ahead of me,” Bisset said after crossing a finish line. “It’s amazing to us to be able to do a very small part to help them because they are the real heroes here.”
Pictured: Bisset completing Bozeman half marathon (credit: MTN News)
The inspiration for the effort is his daughter, Everly Montana.
Bisset and his wife, Lauren, traveled from New York to Montana in May 2022 for a destination wedding. Lauren said her pregnancy had been smooth until, suddenly, it wasn’t.
“Very uneventful pregnancy, we were going to make the trip and have one last hoorah,” she said. “My water broke the day after the wedding.”
Doctors at Bozeman Health delivered the shocking news: “Get ready to have your baby in Montana!” Lauren recalled.
At just 34 weeks, Everly was born. The couple credits the NICU team with carrying them through the unexpected delivery.
“Their care was second to none,” Bisset said. “It was just unbelievable from start to finish — they made us feel so comfortable.”
After making the long 2,000-mile journey back to New York by train, the couple decided they wanted to give back. That decision has fueled Bisset’s running mission. So far, with three marathons still ahead, the family has raised $70,000.
Dr. Loreen Petit, medical director of the NICU at Bozeman Health, said the need for neonatal care in the region is growing.
“I think it was 268 babies we admitted to the NICU last year — so yeah, we are growing,” Petit said.
WATCH: The inspiration behind the Bisset family's fundraiser
She added that the funds will help provide more specialized training and resources for the hospital’s team.
“I am really excited that we are able to send a lot of our staff to the University of Utah for hands-on training to learn how to take care of the smallest and most vulnerable patients,” Petit said.
The Bissets have shared their story in a book, but say their greatest impact is through the miles Alex runs, each one dedicated to giving other families hope.
“For people that live in the area that are in a similar situation that we were in — babies born 28 weeks and older — that they have a place to go,” Lauren said.
Donations to support the cause can be made through Bozeman Health’s website.
https://bozemanhealthfoundation.org/nicu/
