Pittsburg, PA
Runners shrug off cold in Pittsburgh Undie Run to help fight neurofibromatosis
“Aren’t you freezing?”
The question was painfully obvious. But it was hard to avoid repeating it Saturday to runners young and old who huffed and puffed their way across the Roberto Clemente Bridge from Downtown Pittsburgh to the North Shore, wearing enthusiastic smiles, colorful skivvies and not much more in subfreezing temperatures.
The 300 or so participants in Cupid’s Undie Run 2024, an event that raises money to fight neurofibromatosis, had to brush off occasional snowflakes and temperatures near 30 degrees for their mile-or-so run that began on the North Shore next to PNC Park, crossed the Allegheny River and then returned.
Neurofibromatosis refers to three conditions involving the development of tumors that might affect the brain, spinal cord and the nerves that send signals between the brain and spinal cord and all other parts of the body, according to the National Institutes of Health. Most tumors are benign, although some can become cancerous.
Similar events are held in 30 other U.S. cities, organizers said.
Bright red bathrobes, boxer shorts sprinkled with hearts and superhero outfits gave a zany feel to the event held three days after Valentine’s Day.
But the seriousness behind the run also was clear.
Kevin Doane, 52, a truck driver from Dubois, lost his 10-year-old daughter, Paige, a few years ago.
“One of her tumors became cancerous,” he said.
He has taken part in similar events in other cities as well as in Pittsburgh. This year, he came dressed in a Buzz Lightyear vest.
Surrounding him and shivering in the cold were Amanda Cenci, 26, of Baldwin; Leah Cervenak, 28 of South Park; Logan Himich, 30, of Robinson; and Madeline Fanning, 23 of Philadelphia, four pediatric nurses from UPMC Children’s Hospital, some of whom cared for Paige during her medical stays.
They came out of respect for her memory.
‘’It doesn’t matter what the weather is like to us. The point is to be uncomfortable,” Himich said. “That’s the life she lived, and we want to do this to honor her.”
Returning from the bridge to the North Shore, another runner, Jason Hritz, 48, of Greensburg, didn’t deny going shirtless and in shorts in February was a challenge.
“It’s a little bit chilly, but it’s a good cause,” he said. Wearing pink, heart-shaped glasses, he called himself a member of “Tyler’s Army,” referring to a child in Windber, Somerset County, and family friend who has neurofibromatosis and has been 10 years chemo-free.
Before and after the run that began about 2 p.m., participants sought warmth and, in some cases imbibed, inside McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon, a North Shore establishment near PNC Park. Buffet-style food helped warm up the runners.
Some kept up a brisk pace. Others walked at least part of the route. Many had red faces from the cold.
Brooke Bissell, event director with Cupid’s Charity, said the run benefits the Children’s Tumor Foundation and raises money for, and awareness of, the battle against neurofibromatosis.
Runners ranged in age from 21 to 70.
Bissell said the event’s unusual theme actually makes it easier to generate conversations about neurofibromatosis.
“What brings more attention to a cause than a bunch of people running in their underwear in the freezing cold in February?” she asked with a laugh.
Bill Schackner is a TribLive reporter covering higher education. Raised in New England, he joined the Trib in 2022 after 29 years at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where he was part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team. Previously, he has written for newspapers in Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. He can be reached at bschackner@triblive.com.
A hunter in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, was charged after nearly shooting a person, according to police.
Karen Gaus, 42, was arrested and charged with recklessly endangering another person and disorderly conduct in connection with the incident, officials said.
The Susquehanna Regional Police Department said in a news release that officers responded to Beattys Tollgate Road in East Donegal Township on Nov. 29 for a hunting complaint. Police said a homeowner was outside their residence when they heard multiple gunshots and a bullet passing by.
Officers began investigating and found Gaus nearby, who admitted that she was hunting and fired two shots at a deer in the direction of the victim’s home, according to the news release.
Gaus, according to court documents, is awaiting her preliminary hearing, which is scheduled for Jan. 12, 2026.
Pennsylvania’s firearms deer season ends on Saturday. It opened on Nov. 29 and included two Sundays: Nov. 30 and Dec. 7. Earlier this summer, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a bill that reversed what state lawmakers called the “outdated” ban on Sunday hunting.
Before the firearms deer season began, the Game Commission said it expected more than 500,000 hunters would be out and about.
The New York Giants have released former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud, the team announced. McCloud was on their practice squad.
McCloud was released from the Atlanta Falcons earlier this season after being sent home by head coach Raheem Morris in a mysterious exit.
“I sent him home,” Morris said. “Excused absence — home. Working through some things right now that are private with my young man, and we’ll figure those things out as we go.”
The former Falcons wide receiver room has gone through ups and downs. They fired wide receivers coach Ike Hilliward in Week 3, a coach that McCloud is close with from his time with the Steelers. Hilliard coached McCloud for two seasons.
Morris said that McCloud’s issues have nothing to do with the fact that Hilliard was fired.
“This is between Ray-Ray, the organization and us and dealing with those things,” Morris said. “Nothing to do with that. It is just more a football thing and what we got to get straightened out.”
The former Steelers wide receiver is a valuable slot receiver who can also be a key cog on returns, but has floated around the NFL over the years trying to find a long-term home.
Fowler made a pair of saves on a Penguins power play to maintain the lead, going to the top of the crease to stop a slap shot from Ben Kindel in the slot at 11:25 and pushing right to deny a one-timer from Erik Karlsson on the rebound one second later.
“He was solid. We had some good looks,” Crosby said. “He looked pretty good in there. It would have been nice to get a little bit more traffic in front of him and test him more that way. The pucks that he was able to see, he did a good job.”
Owen Beck seemed to score his first NHL goal for Montreal at 16:21, but it was overturned when the play was ruled offside on a Pittsburgh challenge.
Rust cut it to 3-1 by chipping in a backhand pass from Crosby 44 seconds into the third period.
Oliver Kapanen scored 15 seconds later, tapping in Slafkovsky’s pass to make it 4-1 at 59 seconds.
“It was good to get it back right away, you know?” Slafkovsky said. “Got back up by three goals. It gives you a little calmness on the bench too”
Karlsson pulled Pittsburgh to within 4-2 on a power play and with the extra attacker at 15:07, scoring his second this season on a point shot through traffic.
The Penguins had 34 shots on goal in the final two periods after being held to four in the first.
“For whatever reason, I don’t think we had our legs,” Rust said. “I don’t think we were executing very well. Thought we were seeing plays. It’s just our passing wasn’t crisp. That kind of thing can slow things down a lot and we can get really disconnected.”
NOTES: Crosby reached 1,719 NHL points (643 goals, 1,719 assists) with an assist on Rust’s goal and is four points behind Mario Lemieux (1,723) for the Penguins record. … Fowler, born in Melbourne, Florida, became the first Florida-born goalie in NHL history. … Fowler is the fourth Canadiens goalie to make his first NHL start against the Penguins, joining Ken Dryden (March 14, 1971), Patrick Roy (Oct. 10, 1985) and Carey Price (Oct. 10, 2007). He is the fourth Montreal goalie in the past 10 years to win his debut, following Mike Condon (Oct. 11, 2015), Charlie Lindgren (April 7, 2016) and Jakub Dobes (Dec. 28, 2024). … Canadiens forward Jake Evans did not play due to personal reasons. He is expected to join the team for a game at the New York Rangers on Saturday.
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