The Fighters Chronicles - Dylan Randazzo

Hi, my name is Dylan Randazzo and I have Cystic Fibrosis. I'm 25 years old, and I'm one of three with Cystic Fibrosis in my family. I'm originally from Long Island, NY but now live down in Jacksonville, FL. 

How and when were you diagnosed?

I was diagnosed at birth. My sister was diagnosed when she turned six years old so my parents got me tested right away.

What does a day in life look like?

I usually start my day at 4:30 am. I wake up, do my CF treatments and take my pills. I'm currently training for the NYC Marathon, and I run before work. After work during the week, I hit the gym to get a lift in. Before bed I do my treatments again.

What are the biggest hurdles you’ve faced and how did you overcoming/overcame them?

The biggest hurdle I faced was that from age 13 to 23 I was very sick and needed IV Antibiotics every 2-3 months. This really took a toll on me mentally and physically . I had 2 months of being somewhat healthy to then being sick for a month. It was hard to live a life to be proud of when you know you're just going to be sick again. I overcame this by keeping a positive attitude. The new CF medicine came out in 2020 and it got me feeling a lot better. I got really big into running and working out and it helped me get my lung function back up. I ran my first marathon in February, and this entire year I've been super healthy. It's honestly crazy to me how healthy I am now from where I was. My entire life I coughed and right now I haven't coughed once in months. 

What are your current goals in life?

My main goal in life is to be happy and healthy. After all my rough years this is very important to me. I have a chip on my shoulder, and a different outlook on life being through the worse. I'm just trying to better myself every day and prove to the world what I'm actually capable of.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self?

Discipline over motivation. What makes someone their best self is having discipline. It carries over to every aspect of your life. Doing things, you don't want to do when you don't have that motivation. It's easy when you're motivated, but you won't always be.

My message is always keep pushing yourself to your limits. Running has taught me that. Your limit is far greater than what you actually think it is. I never thought I would be able to run a marathon a few years ago. My mom is the main reason for this. She always kept pushing me when I was sick. She once said to me "If you had no legs, I'd make you crawl." It's important to keep moving forward and not feel sorry for yourself. Everyone has something that they have to deal with. That's why I'm running the NYC Marathon for The Boomer Esiason Foundation. I want to help raise money and awareness for Cystic Fibrosis.