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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – When Izzie Begley’s younger brother hit a low point last year, struggling with alcohol addiction, Izzie knew where she needed to be. By his side.
A few years earlier, the roles had been reversed. Izzie, now a television sports anchor for CBS19 in Charlottesville, was battling an eating disorder. Her brother, Will, helped her through that fight.
“My little brother is my best friend,” Izzie told Cville Right Now. “He was there during my lowest time. And it was just out of coincidence that I was there for his, as well.”
Saturday, Izzie and Will will run the New York City Marathon, raising money for Release Recovery Foundation, an organization that provides funding and other support for people entering addiction rehabilitation programs.
“One of the things I realized when I was in treatment was the financial stress that people had to endure to get to the other side,” Will told Cville Right Now. “My family is very fortunate, and they had the means necessary to put me through treatment. But that wasn’t the same for everyone else.”
Will, 20, is now one year sober and is back in college, a sophomore at the College of Charleston, where he’s studying finance and business analytics. Izzie got her undergraduate degree from UVA, where she also was a member of the rowing team, and then her master’s from Northwestern. She’s in her second year at CBS19.
Neither sibling would be where they are today without the other, they said.
Will was studying abroad in London in 2025 when his addiction spiraled.
“I sort of realized that my drinking and drug abuse was starting to get out of my control,” Will said. “I realized, I’ve got to pull the plug on this. Because it just got to a point where it wasn’t me anymore making the decisions. It was just sort of my alcoholic brain taking the reins.”
At the exact point Will was overwhelmed – shaking, sweating and vomiting as he battled withdrawal – Izzie happened to be visiting London, a graduation trip after finishing up at Northwestern. She was there with a friend from UVA to see a Coldplay concert at Wembley Stadium.
After two trips to the emergency room, when Will and Izzie thought he was suffering from anxiety, they made the decision to call their parents. A few weeks later, Will was home in New Jersey, researching rehab facilities. He found New Mind Wellness in King of Prussia, Pa., where he begin his recovery.
“Everyone just rallied behind me,” Will said. “My sister was sort of on the forefront of that. She would stay up in the wee hours of the night and check up on me, make sure I was good. You know, it sort of seemed like she was losing as much sleep as I was, worrying about me.”
It was the reverse of the situation when Izzie had fought her battle with an eating disorder.
“Up until that point, that was the worst period of time in my life,” Izzie said. “I was away from my friends. I felt isolated. But the one constant I had in my life was, every single day, when I’d get home, my little brother would be there waiting for me. He was the person who held my hand through that whole thing.”
Will said he gained a deeper understanding of what his sister was going through by suffering through his own battle.
“It was so hard for me to understand what she was going through,” Will said. “Of course, I could have sympathy for her, but there’s such a big difference between sympathy and empathy. The mind is such a powerful thing, the way it can just twist and contort your brain. From the outside looking in, I had no idea what she was going through. The things we went through were completely different, but just in terms of having a mental battle, I feel like I’ve come to appreciate her so much more.”
Now, the brother-and-sister duo from Moorestown, N.J., feel like they can tackle just about anything together – including Saturday’s 50th running of the New York City Marathon.
“It’s definitely been a really emotional journey,” Izzie said. “He’s one year sober now and I’m so proud of him. As hard as what I went through when I was in college, I would go through that over and over and over again for the rest of my life if it meant I never had to watch him go through what he’s been through.
“I’m so proud of him and I’m so proud I get to do this with him.”
Training has been challenging. Will is in Charleston focused on his education. Izzie is in Charlottesville and her television schedule isn’t exactly conducive to marathon preparation.
“There were many days where I would run 18 miles and put mascara on and walk right into work and get in front of a camera and smile,” she said. “And pretend like I wasn’t in so much pain.”
Izzie is hoping to run the race in an ambitious 3:15. Will is hunting a more modest goal of 3:45. Together, they’re hoping to raise $12,000 by race day and get to $20,000 before their fundraiser officially closes. People can continue to donate for two months after the race, Izzie said.
Saturday, their parents, other family and friends will be in New York as they run 26.2 miles through the city’s five boroughs.
It will be the first marathon for both of them and the NYC race is notoriously challenging, with its multiple climbs and bridge crossings. They don’t expect it to be easy, but they know they have each other to lean on.
“We knew it was something we wanted to do together,” Izzie said.