Running for Sam

Friends Turn Miles into Meaning

For five Upper St. Clair High School students, this year’s Pittsburgh Marathon Relay was about much more than crossing a finish line.

Enzo Pantano, Nate Del, Anthony Mastro, Sam Cranganu, and Makis Sobel-Drum—known collectively as the “Lumberjacks”—took on the challenge in honor of their friend Sam Levine, a 2024 Upper St. Clair graduate who passed away in December 2025 after a courageous battle with DIPG.

To those who knew him, Sam was much more than his diagnosis. He was a dedicated athlete, a leader, and the kind of person who made everyone around him feel valued.

“One of the most special things about Sam was how positive and encouraging he was,” Enzo said. “He was voted captain of the Upper St. Clair lacrosse team, which shows how much he was liked because his teammates were the ones who voted. I have never talked to anyone who disliked Sam.”

When the Lumberjacks decided to participate in the marathon relay again this year, honoring Sam was at the center of their motivation.

“With Sam passing away in December of 2025, we wanted a way to keep the memories of him alive,” Enzo explained. “We thought he would have wanted us to keep running and raising awareness for DIPG.”

The run was especially meaningful because of the relationship the students share with Sam’s father, Steve Levine, a Fort Couch Middle School teacher and former cross-country coach. Through countless practices and miles together, Coach Levine helped shape the group long before they decided to run in Sam’s honor.

“That is originally how we got our close bond with him as a group—through running,” Enzo said.

Inspired by Sam’s courage, the team set out to raise awareness and funds for the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation, helping support critical DIPG/DMG research and families facing this devastating diagnosis. Their goal was ambitious: raise $5,000 and spread a message that reflects the example Sam set every day.

“Sam kept going months on end,” said Makis Sobel-Drum. “If he can do that, then I can keep going in the marathon relay.”

For many of the boys, Sam’s diagnosis was also their first introduction to DIPG.

“Before Sam’s diagnosis, neither my teammates nor I had ever heard of DIPG,” Enzo said. “I think raising awareness is so important because many people don’t know it exists. Childhood brain cancer receives less than one percent of federal cancer research funding, and awareness helps bring communities together so people who need support have a shoulder to lean on.”

Through the experience of supporting Sam and his family, the boys gained a new perspective on life.

“Sam’s battle was one of the biggest eye-opening moments in my life,” Enzo shared. “For most of the time I knew him, he was perfectly healthy, and then seemingly out of nowhere, everything changed. It showed me how quickly everyday things can be taken away and that I should appreciate everything for what it is.”

What left the greatest impression, however, was not the diagnosis itself, but the way Sam faced it.

“After Sam was diagnosed, he stayed the same positive and uplifting person he always was,” Enzo said. Quoting Steve Levine, he added, “He never once said, ‘Why me?’ or complained about his situation. Sam showed me that no matter what circumstances you’re facing, you should stay positive and be yourself.”

That message is one the team hopes others will take away when they see them running.

“When people see our team running, I hope they understand that they should always be positive, appreciate every day, and be kind to everybody because you never know what they’re going through,” Enzo said.

For Steve Levine and his family, the gesture has been deeply meaningful.

“To honor Sam and to keep his memory alive, I really don’t have the words to describe it,” he said. “We were humbled. We were honored.”

While the race may be over, the impact continues. Every mile run and every dollar raised helps advance research and bring hope to families facing DIPG. More importantly, the Lumberjacks are ensuring that Sam’s legacy lives on—not only through memories, but through action.

One mile at a time, they are carrying his courage forward.