Experience Triathlon athlete Mike Babicz Racing Ironman Wisconsin for Families of Fallen Police
Officer Mike Babicz, a K9 officer with the Maywood Police Department, will complete two long course triathlons in Wisconsin this summer to raise $10,000 for the families of his fallen police comrades.
The funds raised will be donated to the Illinois chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS), a group founded in 1984 to provide services to the families of law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. COPS provides programs for all survivors of a law enforcement fatality, including immediate family members, extended family members, friends and colleagues. Programs include retreats and camps for all ages with peers that offer support and resources, counseling on grief and bereavement, and college scholarships. COPS also organizes police memorials, runs, and bicycle rides across the state of Illinois.
Mike was introduced to Concerns of Police Survivors after a fellow K9 officer in his department died on duty. Mike was one of the first officers on the scene. Soon after, the programs of COPS were offered to the family and friends of the fallen officer. In response to his racing and fundraising efforts this year, the Illinois branch of COPS has posted a supportive “Thank You!” on their website in honor of Mike.
Mike will race in the July 20th Racine half Ironman and the September 7th Wisconsin Ironman races. He will wear his full uniform for the run portion of the event, which includes not only the uniform pants and shirt, but also his bulletproof vest and duty belt. The duty belt carries his gun and magazines with extra ammunition, handcuffs, taser and radio, and weighs approximately 25 pounds.
In addition to racing in honor of his colleagues, Mike draws inspiration from Fireman Rob, a Madison, WI firefighter and Ironman who races in full firefighting gear.
Donations can be made at a website set up in Mike’s honor, tri-ingforthefallen.com, through the end of September. The site also describes Mike’s history with COPS as well as his experiences as a K9 officer with his partner, Rexo. Credit cards and Paypal are accepted and donations can be either named or anonymous.