Newswise — (Fallston, MD) – Dwight Griffith describes himself as an “unathletic 60-year-old,” but don’t underestimate a man on a mission.

Griffith, a principal with Griffith-Brilhart Builders since 1977, joined with his family this year  in the decision to start the Griffith Never Give Up Foundation, a 501C(3) non-profit charitable foundation funded by private donors, corporate sponsors and granting organizations to “help those facing adversity who would never ask for help themselves.”

In 2012, Griffith decided to begin training to compete in an Ironman triathlon, stepping up his efforts in spring of this year when he decided to make the effort a fundraiser for the “Griffith Never Give Up Foundation.”

“I started serious training with a coach in March, but then hurt my back. I thought it would improve with rest, Ibuprofen, but to no avail. I saw Dr. Clayton Dean in The Maryland Spine Center at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, and he performed surgery in June. I resumed training on July 25th and just 5 ½ weeks after surgery, was back competing in a triathlon. I’ve resumed full training and will be completing the IRONMAN Maryland® in Cambridge, MD on October 7th. I’m very grateful to Dr. Dean and all the staff at the Maryland Spine Center for their efforts in getting me back to achieving my goal,” Griffith said.

“I was very impressed with Dwight’s story, his determination to move past his injury to compete in the upcoming triathlon and to help others in the process. He responded extremely well to surgery and, given his training, it is clear he is doing very well,” Dr. Dean said.

According to Griffith, he and his family’s decision to start the “Griffith Never Give Up Foundation” took root in a personal journey.

“Our communities are filled with hard-working men and women who are facing adversity in their lives. Perhaps they’ve lost a job, encountered a medical or financial crisis, something that has set them back. Our family experienced just such a setback a few years ago, and thanks to the generosity of my local community, we were able to persevere. It had a profound effect on all of our lives and planted the seed for what would become the Griffith Never Give Up Foundation,” Griffith explained.

IRONMAN Maryland® includes a 2.4-mile swim in the fresh water of the Choptank River on the Delmarva Peninsula, a 112-mile bike through Dorchester County, and finishes with a 26.2-mile run.

For more information about the Griffith Never Give Up Foundation or to donate, go to https://www.griffithnevergiveup.org/. To learn more about the work of Dr. Clayton Dean and The Maryland Spine Center at Mercy, visit https://mdmercy.com/centers-of-excellence/orthopedics-bone-and-joint/spine-center.