New documentary tells the story of Raleigh marathoner with ALS. Here’s how to see it.

Brooke Cain

The documentary chronicling Raleigh native Andrea Peet and her record-breaking journey to becoming the first person with ALS to complete a marathon in all 50 U.S. states will screen this weekend before a local audience.

“Go On, Be Brave” has its hometown premiere Saturday, June 17, at Carolina Theatre in Durham.

The documentary had its world premiere at the prestigious Santa Barbara International Film Festival and won the Audience Choice Award at the RiverRun International Film Festival earlier this year.

Peet, who was born and raised in Raleigh, was diagnosed with ALS in 2014, when she was 33 years old. ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to muscle weakness and paralysis.

Even though patients with ALS are given an estimated five-year life expectancy, Peet — a triathlete and marathon runner before her diagnosis — decided she would bring attention to ALS by finishing 50 separate 26.2-mile races on a recumbent trike, all while her muscles progressively weakened.

Andrea Peet at the finish line of the Prince of Wales Island marathon in Alaska on May 28, 2022. With the Alaska marathon, Peet became the first person with ALS to complete a marathon in all 50 states.
Andrea Peet at the finish line of the Prince of Wales Island marathon in Alaska on May 28, 2022. With the Alaska marathon, Peet became the first person with ALS to complete a marathon in all 50 states.

Her efforts were stalled by the COVID pandemic, which halted marathons for nearly a year, but she checked off her 50th marathon last May in Prince of Wales Island in Alaska.

“I want to show people this is possible,” Peet told The News & Observer in a previous report. “And even people not battling ALS — everyone is fighting something — so I’m hopeful that I am able to do what I set out to do, and I hope I can help people meet big goals.”

Documentary crew followed Andrea Peet

A documentary film crew, led by filmmakers Miriam McSpadden and Brian Beckman, accompanied Peet at marathons to make the film, produced by the Team Drea Foundation.

Peet told The News & Observer in 2020 that she believes the marathons made a big difference in how she has learned to live with ALS. “I truly believe that it has helped me to maintain my strength, and mentally, it gives me a goal,” she said at the time. “It gets me outside and I’m not thinking about how I’m gonna die all the time. I’m thinking about the next race and working toward something.”

Andrea Peet, right, and her mother Sandra Lytle, left, talk as they exercise in the pool at Life Time Fitness in Cary, N.C. on Feb. 17, 2020. Peet, who is in her sixth year of living with ALS, gets a lot out of the twice weekly workouts. “I love being in the water, because I can’t fall,” she said.
Andrea Peet, right, and her mother Sandra Lytle, left, talk as they exercise in the pool at Life Time Fitness in Cary, N.C. on Feb. 17, 2020. Peet, who is in her sixth year of living with ALS, gets a lot out of the twice weekly workouts. “I love being in the water, because I can’t fall,” she said.

Peet, who lives in Raleigh with her husband, David, and their two cats, Bailey and Tango, has not only beaten the odds given to her by doctors, but has used her time to raise awareness of the disease and give hope to those diagnosed. In addition to producing the film, she has worked with Google and the ALS Therapy Development Institute in helping develop speech recognition tools for ALS patients.

She was profiled as The News & Observer’s Tar Heel of the Month in August 2020. She is currently working on writing a memoir.

Andrea Peet poses for a portrait, with just a handful of her racing medals, at her home in Raleigh, N.C. on Feb. 13, 2020. Peet was diagnosed with ALS in 2014. As an avid marathon runner and triathlete, she has pushed through the physical struggles brought on by the disease to continue racing on a recumbent trike. Her foundation, Team Drea, has raised over $500,000 for ALS research and she participates in multiple ongoing studies. After passing a milestone of five years living with ALS, Peet decided she wanted to participate in a race in all 50 states. To date, she has completed 20 races.

How to attend ‘Go On, Be Brave’ screening

When: The film will screen on Saturday, June 17, at 7 p.m.

Where: Carolina Theatre, 309 W Morgan St., Durham

Tickets: carolinatheatre.org/events/live-event/go-on-be-brave

Official trailer: https://vimeo.com/727898354

More info: goonbebrave.com

There will be a Q&A session after the film.

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