A community fundraiser aimed at supporting the recovery of a longtime Tukwila resident will take place Sunday, May 3, with the first Jovita Strong 5K at the Tukwila Community Center.
The event, scheduled from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at 12424 42nd Avenue South (map below), will benefit the nonprofit Help Hope Live in honor of Jovita McConnell, who experienced a life altering brain aneurysm and coma in April 2025, according to event organizers.
Participants are invited to run or walk in the 5K, with registration set at $40. Organizers said proceeds will help cover ongoing rehabilitation costs that are not fully covered by insurance.
Jovita McConnell, a lifelong Tukwila resident, went into a coma for a month after an artery ruptured in her brain on April 28, 2025. Two months later, doctors identified her as being in a “vegetative state” and advised her husband, Shane, to plan accordingly.
“Would she want this life? That’s what the doctors asked him,” said Desiree Kalalau, Jovita’s sister. “Shane told them that he would never bet against his wife. If they truly knew her, they wouldn’t, either.”
McConnell later began to show signs of recovery, reaching milestones such as breathing on her own, responding to touch and regaining awareness of her surroundings, according to organizers.
She underwent rehabilitation in Seattle before transferring to Craig Hospital in Denver for specialized care. She has since returned home, where her husband now serves as her primary caregiver as she continues her recovery.
“Their patience, compassion, and dedication are restoring our hope,” Kalalau said of McConnell’s care team in Denver.
Before her medical emergency, McConnell was active in the Tukwila community, serving on the city council and a fire department governance board, and helping run a local pantry for children in need. She has lived in Tukwila her entire life.
Organizers said the community has already raised more than $7,400 since February to support her medical expenses. Funds raised through Help Hope Live are tax deductible and can only be used for verified medical and related costs.
Event organizers said registration is available online here, and donations can also be made for those unable to attend.
