Making the best of a tragedy has become a way of life for Rachel Muha. After the murder of her 18-year- old son, Brian, Muha has made it her mission to make sure troubled teens on Columbus’ West side end up with a better life.
Initially stricken with emotional heartbreak too intense for Muha to describe, she says words from The Lord’s Prayer made her take a look at things.
“Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us,” recalls Muha, “I was being asked – as we all are – to forgive those who hurt and killed my son i love so much.”
When Muha learned the background of her son’s murderers, it became her goal to help inner-city children and teens improve their lives. Founded in her son’s name, the Brian Muha Foundation has been providing services ever since.
in 2005, the foundation opened its first after-school and Saturday program in inner-city Columbus. Billed as “a
happiness through spiritual, intellectual, emotional and physical development,” the Run the Race program serves children in grades 2 through 12 – with or without strong family backgrounds.
Muha’s goal is to raise $100,000 to open the West Side Run the Race Center open every day.
“When a child says to me…‘why can’t we stay longer?’” says Muha, “i know the children are able to forget all the challenges in their young lives.” That is how she measures the foundation’s accomplishments.
in addition to the Run the Race club, The Brian Muha Foundation has established scholarship funds at Franciscan University and St. Charles Preparatory School, which both her sons attended. The house from which Brian was kidnapped – although filled with painful memories – has been purchased and maintained by the foundation as a house offered to needy students so they
Muha says she is motivated by God’s will, which is love.
“We are in the business of love,” says Muha, “and when you are in the business of love, you don’t exclude anyone.”▪