The Hearts and Spirits Behind Ascent For Action 2027

Linda Washburn (1966 – 1973)

Courage in the Face of Adversity

Linda was born in May 1966 and diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) shortly thereafter. She passed away from CF complications in 1973 at just seven years old. My memories of her are through the eyes of a ten-year-old boy, but despite her illness, Linda packed a full, vibrant childhood into those short seven years.

She complained only once—when she was very young and refused her daily treatment. But after our parents explained the situation, she walked back from her room, accepting her reality with quiet grace, and requested her daily routine of chest percussions to clear her lungs. From that moment on, she was a bright shooting star.

Linda became a poster child for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, her picture featured prominently in fundraising campaigns to support medical research. I vividly recall her meeting WTA professionals like Arthur Ashe and Rod Laver at the Aetna Cup in Hartford, Connecticut. My parents, both active in national CF leadership, also met notables like former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Franco Harris and Sports Illustrated contributor Frank Deford.

Beyond her work with CF, Linda loved gymnastics. I cherish the memory of spending hours with her doing cartwheels, backbends, and round-offs in our front yard. Linda approached life with courage, strength, and unwavering commitment. She never let her disease slow her down or keep her from pursuing what she wanted in her short, beautiful life.

Patricia Marie Harty-Washburn (1959 – 2022)

My Champion & Fellow Warrior

Born on December 22, 1959, Patricia Marie Harty-Washburn (Trish) was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age nine. In the years that followed, she grew from a frightened child who locked herself in the bathroom to avoid insulin injections into a compassionate young woman who coached children and friends on navigating the daily challenges of diabetes.

Growing up in a Vermont skiing family, Trish learned to ski at an early age, sparking a lifelong passion for sports and community connection. She was a natural people person. As a "Sunbeamer" at a local ski mountain, she greeted and supported young ski students. She later played on her high school volleyball and tennis teams, served as tennis team captain, and earned a degree in sociology from Springfield College.

Skiing and teaching became central to Trish's life. In 2013, she achieved Level 3 certification with the Professional Ski Instructors Association—the highest level in the organization prior to becoming an examiner, educator, or demo team member.

A two-time heart patient, Trish lived life with a "live in the moment" perspective. She embraced life fully, using her warmth to build deep, lifelong relationships and impacting everyone fortunate enough to cross her path. For me, Trish was my champion. She supported every ambition I had, showed me my own worth, and taught me how to truly communicate.

She approached life—and the mountain—like a warrior. One of the first times we met, we skied bumps from first chair to last at a ski area in Vermont. Outlasting every other companion, she matched me turn for turn by my side.

In 2016, just days before we relocated to Colorado, Trish was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease. She met this diagnosis with the same grace and quiet acceptance she brought to Type 1 Diabetes. She participated in research programs to advance Alzheimer’s diagnostics and met these dual health challenges bravely until 2022. To know Trish was to know a truly special person who made everyone she spoke to feel heard.

Kevin James Washburn (1964 – 2026)

The Steady Foundation

Kevin and I were "Irish twins," born less than a year apart. As my older brother, Kevin was always someone I could lean on. Throughout childhood, he led the way and I followed in his shadow—learning from his missteps to stay out of trouble myself. Together, we explored the woods behind our house, spent two weeks every summer in upstate New York with our grandparents, and played whatever sport was in season with the neighborhood kids.

In high school, Kevin played football as a center, nose guard, and defensive tackle. I always admired how he mastered not only his own responsibilities on every play, but every other position on the field as well. In his senior season, he was voted the team's Most Underrated Player. Kevin went on to play football at Syracuse University for a semester before realizing the commitment was more than he wanted.

He was also a talented track athlete in discus, shotput, and javelin, while I ran middle distance. In every race I ran, Kevin was always standing at the beginning of the final curve of the track. He never spoke or cheered aloud, but I always knew he was there. His quiet presence was all the motivation I needed to kick into high gear and push to the finish line.

After college, Kevin dedicated his life to his family and to civil engineering. As a father, he served as an assistant coach for his son in junior football and thoughtfully guided his daughter through life. As an engineer, he simply loved building things.

He began his career working on roads in Mahopac, New York, before moving on to design and manage the construction of cell towers across the Northeast. When he joined Parsons Brinckerhoff as a construction manager, his true talents shone. He led major infrastructure projects across Connecticut, including the US-7 connector in Norwalk, the I-684 flyover in Cheshire, the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge in New Haven, and the Walk Bridge Replacement Project in Norwalk.

As a testament to Kevin’s extraordinary skill, a CT DOT supervisor once remarked: “Kevin is one of the best engineers I ever worked with. His ability to visualize projects and stage construction—way before the tools we have today—was exceptional.”

That is exactly how I will always remember Kevin: visionary, capable, and steady.