Marathon Runner, Mother of 2 Grant Recipients, Featured in the NY Post

Marathon runner and mother of two of our grant recipients in 2016, Lisa Tuozzolo, was interviewed while running the NY Marathon and featured in the NY Post. The IWL gave gift cards to this family after NYPD Sergeant Paul Tuozzolo was killed in the line of duty.

She crossed the finish line surrounded by her family in blue.

Three years after Lisa Tuozzolo’s NYPD sergeant husband was killed in the line of duty, the 43-year-old mother of two ran the New York City Marathon in his honor Sunday.

“I want this to symbolize that as a survivor of a fallen officer, that we are never alone,” Tuozzolo told The Post after completing the 26.2 mile race.

“All of the NYPD and all of our local police departments step up and are really there for us and it’s really meaningful to me.”

Her late husband, Paul Tuozzolo, 41, was gunned down Nov. 4, 2016 during a wild shootout with a career criminal in the Bronx.

The 19-year veteran of the force never even had a chance to fire his weapon the day he was killed by the ex-con while responding to a report of a home invasion.

Last year, on the two-year anniversary of the cop’s death, a friend of the couple’s, Anne-Marie Dunn, ran the marathon in his memory, and wore his badge number, 870, on her bib.

This year, the hero cop’s widow did it herself, raising money for the Silver Shield Foundation, a charity that provides education funds to the children of fallen officers.

“I love the NYPD. They are my family,” Tuozzolo said. “They are the connection to my family. I couldn’t be more honored to be surrounded by my family in blue.”

The former administrator at West Islip High School said she teaches her own kids — sons Austin, 7, and Joseph, 6 — that “you only live once and you have to live life to the fullest.”

“So when you have the opportunity to do something that you never thought you would be able to accomplish, you set your mind to it, and you at least try,” she said.

Though a first-time marathon runner, Tuozzolo finished in 5:30:12, and received a well-deserved congratulations from her husband’s former precinct.

“We are all proud of you, and we know Paul, Austin and Joseph are as well!!” the 43rd Precinct tweeted.