ROANOKE, Va. – Just looking at the starting line, you can tell many take running the Drumstick Dash very seriously. The second they hear "go," they're off, hoping for the best time yet. But somewhere in this crowd of thousands is Dianne Schwizer. She isn't toward the front -- in fact, she isn't even running. But for Dianne being here, tackling 3.1 miles, is a major feat.
"I've never been able to walk that far because of the pain in my foot, so I had said last year...I'm doing it next year," she said. "I'm doing it."
A year ago, Dianne and her doctors decided amputation was the best option. And soon after, she started planning for the day she would walk a 5K.
"A year ago I couldn't have walked around the block because of the pain," she said.
Now, she's hitting the pavement -- one foot in front of the other.
She's not doing it alone. By her side are family members and her physical therapist, Chris Osborne. He knows first-hand how far Dianne's come in such a short time.
"She couldn't stand up from a chair comfortably, she couldn't do squats," Osborne said.
So crossing the finish line with her squad is certainly something to cheer about.
"The were points today I didn't think I was going to make it, but a lot of people had a lot of faith in me," Dianne said.
She's turning their faith into hope for others who are like her.
"I'm doing this for all the people, you know, we see the commercials, we see the billboards, we see young, healthy Marines who have had a leg replaced. We see young kids. Yes, they can do it, but here I am in the later stages of life, having been in shape and I can do it," she said.
Walking is something many may take for granted, but now along with her family, that's what Dianne is thankful for.