“Life has its ups and downs, but music levels it out for me,” explains Tyric Cuff, a 24 year-old who lives in a scattered-site apartment in the Crowns Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. After a childhood filled with the unpredictability and instability of six different foster care homes and an emerging serious mental illness, Tyric has accomplished much.
 
“As a kid, I was never confrontational. When the anger got too big, I’d fill my backpack with CDs and walk from Bay Shore to Brentwood. It usually took two towns to calm down.,” he recalls. “Walking, music, writing my own songs – all that’s therapy to me. Now add running the marathon to that list,” he grins proudly.
 
Fellow TEAM ICL member and Tyric’s mentor, David Kamnitzer, a senior vice president at ICL, recommended that he join the team, and Tyric thought it was a great idea. “David has my back, encourages me to take on challenges and reminds me to take care of myself. He and ICL have supported my views and what I want to pursue.” Tyric shares, “I want to make music, and, honestly if it turns out well for me, I really want to put my experience into my songs and explain to thousands of people that could really benefit from ICL.”
 
Tyric is appreciative of the help he’s received on his way towards adulthood and makes it a priority to give back, whether it’s on the basketball court with a youth in Westchester that he’s mentoring or when accompanying David on ICL speaking engagements at conferences and at different agencies. “ICL taught me how to listen, not just with open ears but with an open heart. Helping others is one of the reasons I’m running. I want youth to know there is no such thing as impossibilities. Even if something doesn’t fly the way I wanted to, at least I know that I tried my hardest.”
 
While David and ICL believe that Tyric’s marathon involvement is phenomenal, regardless of how far and fast he runs, for Tyric, his goal is to finish it. “I’m pushing to finish it. I may need to run for five miles then jog a bit and not put all my energy out through the gate. I’m getting my mind disciplined, since a lot of this is a mental thing.”
 
One inside scoop to his strategy can be summed up with one word, “Adidas.” Tyric explains, “I don’t own any shoes – just sneakers and all of them are Adidas.  I know some brands are more famous, but I see a bit of myself in Adidas…we both are old-school and have immense possibilities since we just don’t give up.”

To sponsor Tyric or any of the other TEAM ICL runners or for more information, please visit www.crowdrise.com/teamICL/fundraiser/iclinc or contact Constance Y. Brown at 212-385-3030, ext. 3192.