At least that was the plan.
Then reality grabbed the steering wheel and, as so often happens in life, her route turned into a detour.
Powers, 44, said the six-hour surgery was more serious than anticipated and she stayed in the hospital for 31 days, including five in the intensive care unit.
All she could think about: “I got to get home. It was really hard. As a mom, you want to be with the kids.”
She eventually returned to her Hamilton home, but there were major adjustments. She was diagnosed with ataxia that causes poor muscle control and clumsy movements. It can affect walking and balance, hand coordination, speech and swallowing, and eye movements.
Powers said the left side of her body was impacted. She has used a walker the last five months and due to her physical limitations, the family recently sold their Hamilton home and moved into a ranch home in Liberty Twp.
“You don’t realize your limitations,” she said. “Limitations are bigger than you think.”
This has been a difficult several months for the Powers family. Katie’s mother-in-law died in March and her mother died in April.
Two months later, Katie was in the hospital, and she wondered if she’d die there and who would help her husband raise their children.
“Those thoughts crossed my mind,“ she said as her voce trailed off.
Her first day at home, Powers was caring for her children, two daughters, 5 and 3 years old, and a 2-year-old son, when she slipped and hit her head. She was transported back to the Jewish Hospital emergency room.
Powers seems to be on the mend, and running — one of her passions — is helping with the recovery process. While she’s in no shape to run, Powers has continued as co-founder and race director of the 11th annual Meyer Brothers & Sons Hamilton Turkey Trot.
The event began 10 years ago with 30 runners and is expected to attract 3,000 this year, she said.
The funds raised have benefited YoungLives, a ministry for teen moms in the area and their families.
This year, another benefactor has been added: Young Life Capernaum, a nonprofit that works with adolescents with special needs.
“I have put myself in their shoes,” she said. “They have special needs. I have special needs.”
Her goal is to push the walker aside in January, and run her next race in June 2026, the one-year anniversary of her surgery. Those are lofty aspirations, but her husband, Mark, 46, a captain with the Hamilton Fire Department, believes in his wife.
“What an awesome wife and mom she is,” he said. “She juggles a lot of swords. She’s tenacious, a big-time fighter. She continues to push through tough times.”
He has been in the fire fighting business for 28 years. Dealing with tragedy is part of the profession.
“You kind of get, I guess ‘numb’ is the right word,” he said. “You put on some kind of armor so you can function and do your job.”
Then he switched from firefighter and father.
“It’s different when it’s your family,” he said.
Columnist Rick McCrabb writes about local people and events every Sunday. If you have an idea for a story, contact him at rmccrabb1@gmail.com.
HOW TO GO
WHAT: Meyer Brothers & Sons Hamilton Turkey Trot
WHEN: Nov. 27. Registration and packet pick-up on race day is 7-8:30 a.m. at the Courtyard Marriott hotel, 1 Riverfront Plaza.
WHERE: The trot will feature a 5K and a 10K race. The course starts and finishes at Marcum Park.
MORE INFO: hamiltonturkeytrot.com.
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