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EPHRAIM — One of the second generation Osmonds, is gearing up for the biggest performance of his life.
But Justin Osmond won't be singing, he will be running for donations to help 25 Utah children receive hearing aids.
If you want to talk to Osmond these days, you'll have to keep up with him while he is running. He's in the final two weeks of his training with plans to run from his hometown in Ephraim, to St. George — 250 miles in just eight days.
Facing that task, Osmond said, “This is by far the biggest challenge I have ever been through.”
Osmond is part of the famous Utah singing family but has never heard their music the way most everyone else does.
“I was born with a 90 percent hearing loss,” Osmond explained. “I am the only one of the second generation of the Osmond family who was born with this genetic hearing loss.”
Two of his uncles are deaf, and helping people with hearing impairments was something dear to his grandmother, Olive Osmond.
“It is very personal to me. I hope I can make her proud,” said Osmond. This is why Justin started a foundation to help children who are deaf.
“Someone gave me a chance. Someone gave me an opportunity to be able to speak, to be able to hear, to sign, and all these wonderful things. And so this is my way of paying it forward to help other deaf children so they can get reconnected to life.”
Someone gave me a chance. Someone gave me an opportunity to be able to speak, to be able to hear, to sign, and all these wonderful things. And so this is my way of paying it forward to help other deaf children so they can get reconnected to life.
–Justin Osmond
Osmond is working on getting donations for every mile he runs. His goal is to raise enough money to buy hearing aids for 25 Utah kids.
“I kind of hoped he would get rid of the idea,” said Kristi Osmond, Justin’s wife. “But he got more and more motivated.”
Kristi Osmond had her concerns, particularly when thinking of her husband running an average of 35 miles a day for eight days straight.
“Many people have told him not to do it, and it is too far and too hard on your body. It’s too intense, the training, the time involved. But I appreciate the fact he loves these kids enough to do it anyway,” Kristi Osmond said.
Osmond has been training for months, running at least 100 miles a week to get ready.
“It is very exhausting, but those kids down in Southern Utah, they are worth it. I think about them and I keep going,” Osmond said.
Helping those children is why Justin Osmond is looking forward to his long run, which begins on May 2. Osmond is also sponsoring a 5K at the starting line in Ephraim and also at the finish line in St. George called the Run4Hearing.
