Onondaga Lake Park hosts recovery memorial 5K for Devin Brigham

Leashed dogs, strollers and running shoes filled Onondaga Lake Park as the third annual Never Walk Alone 5K turned grief into a public show of support for recovery. The memorial walk, centered on Devin Brigham’s life and legacy, gave Onondaga County families a visible place to gather around addiction, loss and healing.

The event took place at Saw Mill Creek Pavilion in the Willow Bay Area of the park in Liverpool and ran from 9 a.m. to noon on June 14. Admission was free, with donations supporting Devin’s Rec Room, the sober-active community center and gym Henry Brigham founded after losing his son Devin to a heroin overdose in 2001.

Devin’s Rec Room says the annual walk raises awareness and support for people in recovery from substance use disorder and mental health issues. Organizers also encouraged people to bring leashed pets, saying some people in recovery may rely on a pet as their only connection during troubled times. That choice helped make the event feel open and family-friendly while keeping its message squarely on the ongoing needs of people trying to stay sober.

The race carried added weight in a county still facing the toll of overdose. WSYR-TV reported 113 overdose fatalities in Onondaga County in 2023, a number it said had nearly doubled over the previous 10 years. By staging the memorial 5K in one of the county’s most recognizable public spaces, organizers put recovery in front of the community rather than keeping it behind clinic doors or private grief.

Devin’s Rec Room describes itself as Central New York’s first sober active community center, and its programming reflects that mission. Funds from Never Walk Alone help support exercise, yoga and recovery groups, all aimed at building a safe, substance-free space for people in recovery and the families around them.

The event’s power came from that mix of remembrance and practical support. It honored Devin Brigham, but it also pointed toward the daily work of recovery in Onondaga County, where community spaces like Onondaga Lake Park can become places of healing as well as recreation.