Everyone has a different reason for taking part in the Maryland SPCA's March for the Animals. For the Sullivan and King families, it's about honoring the memory of their sister.
It's been just over two years since Emily Sullivan, 23, passed away and not a day goes by that her family doesn't think about her.
"Every day Emily was as loving and wonderful as the first day I met this family," said Anthony King, Emily's brother-in-law.
Emily died after a battle with drug addiction, but that's not how King or Emily's sisters want her to be remembered.
"Who I want Emily to be remembered as is a person with a passion for life, who loved her family, who cared about creatures big and small," King said.
Emily loved working with animals and hoped to open her own kennel one day. She also liked to participate in charity events like the Maryland SPCA's March for the Animals. Since her passing, her family continues to walk in the march under the team name "Emily's Paws for a Cause."
"It's almost therapeutic for the family because it's hard. You lost a family member, you lost a daughter, a sister, a sister-in-law," King said. "You remember them daily but now you have an opportunity, if they're watching, to show them how much they meant to you and how much you care.
Since they started walking under the pack name "Emily's Paws for a Cause" in 2014, the group has raised more than $11,000. They continue to be one of the top fundraising packs of the march.
If you'd like to donate to this team (referred to as "packs") or learn more about the March for the Animals, click here.
RELATED: Dogs with loyal Instagram followings raise money for the SPCA March for the Animals
Download the ABC2 News app for the iPhone, Kindle and Android.
