Glendale doctor helping fight COVID-19 pandemic running 100-mile marathon for Armenian charity

GLENDALE, Calif. - A local doctor is on a mission. Starting April 10, Dr. Edward Samourjian is running a 100-mile marathon in Utah to raise money for a charity that’s near and dear to his heart. 

For Dr. Samourjian the year 2020 was the most challenging year of his life. He’s been on the front lines treating COVID patients in the intensive care unit and operating room at Glendale Adventist Hospital since the pandemic began. 

"It's not like patients are coming in with a cough and cold. Patients that I have are on a ventilator dying. And then they need me to put a dialysis catheter in them or they need some emergency surgery — that sort of thing," the vascular surgeon said. 

Despite the challenges, Dr. Samourjian and his wife, Lara, were blessed to welcome their son Ethan to the world. 

"It was incredible, having Ethan join our family. He was born on April 29th, 2020, which was literally the week of the peak of the first wave of the pandemic," he recalled. 

Between the hospital and fatherhood, Dr. Samourjian has been busy training intensely for the Zion Ultra Marathon in Utah.

For the past 4 months, he’s been running 210 miles a week. 

"I live very hard. I pushed everything to the limit as much as I can. I don't leave any stone unturned," said Dr. Samourjian.

He said it is all about time management and having a supportive partner.

"My wife is a warrior that she has allowed me to do this, she has tolerated all of this training. I don't think she's going to allow me to do this again for a while. I make this joke where once I pass the finish line, she's going to be like, 'are you done? Get in the car!'"

Dr. Samourjian is running in support of the Children of ORRAN, a center dedicated to helping children in need and the elderly in Armenia.

Get your top stories delivered daily! Sign up for FOX 11’s Fast 5 newsletter. And, get breaking news alerts in the FOX 11 News app. Download for iOS or Android.