Two weeks before Grace Rett died, she set an indoor rowing world record.
On Saturday, her College of Holy Cross teammates kicked off a rowing marathon called "G.R.A.C.E. to the finish" -- the event is serving as a virtual fundraiser, one year to the day after Rett embarked on that record-breaking rowing session of 62 hours and 3 seconds.
Rett was just 20 when she was killed in a crash in January when the rowing team's van collided with a pickup truck in Florida. Rett's teammates say they are still very much feeling the loss and have been finding ways to honor her legacy.
Members of the Holy Cross women's crew team were joined virtually by collegiate teams across the country on Saturday as they began taking turns rowing for 62 hours straight in Rett's memory.
"You know Grace was so competitive, and she loved, loved, loved racing. Loved any sort of competition," teammate Shea Kirby said. "I think we're all just doing everything we can to honor her and just kind of carry her legacy with us."
Rett's dad, Chris, says the event has already been so full of love.
"Everyone that Grace was part of are now helping us and this event has been like record breaking love," he said.
The event contains rowing, a raffle, a silent auction and other fundraising efforts -- all of which will go toward the Grace Center, a state of the art multipurpose education and athletic facility at Rett's old high school.
The Grace Center, short for the Grace Rett Athletic Complex and Education (GRACE) Center, would house gym classes, basketball practice, musical practices, religious retreats and more at Our Lady of the Valley Regional School in Uxbridge, Massachusetts.
The rowing marathon started at 8 a.m. Saturday morning, and will continue for 62 hours and 3 seconds, finishing Monday at 10 p.m.
"She would love this," Rett's sister Brianne said. "She would love seeing everyone doing this."
You can check the rowing marathon out on Zoom, by clicking here for details.
