Boston Marathon Runner Maickel Melamed Finishes Against Incredible Odds
The Boston Marathon runner who came in last did so in spite of incredible odds. Maickel Melamed, a Venezuelan with muscular dystrophy, finished after 20 hours.
The Boston Marathon has developed a bit of unfortunate fame after the 2013 catastrophe, when Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, known across the United States as the Boston Bomber, made his mark. After some of the runners had begun approaching the finishing line, he had allegedly detonated the device, which killed, injured, and severely crippled runners and bystanders alike.
Tsarnaev is currently facing the consequences of his alleged actions.
Maickel Melamed is quite the opposite, a motivational speaker who had become the subject of an inspiring tale of persistence on Tuesday in the face of adversity. He has a type of muscular dystrophy which makes it extremely difficult to walk, and he went up against heavy winds and rain to participate in the event.
This Boston Marathon runner came in last, but not without his sense of humor.
“The wind, the rain, the distance, the cold, everything today was overcome. I’m so late.”
This isn’t Melamed’s first marathon, either. According to CBS News, he has also participated in similar events in Chicago, New York, Tokyo, and Berlin.
Melamed crossed the finish line on Boylston Street just after 5 a.m., alongside a handful of volunteers, and alongside the cheers of friends and supporters. He had faced off against torrential thunderstorms in the last of 26.2 miles as he continued through the night, defying his crippling disability.
The Boston Athletic Association will be providing the 39-year-old runner with a medal for his bravery despite the odds.
Maickel Melamed inspirador VIDEO: Runner with muscular dystrophy is final athlete to cross – | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston http://t.co/W5eaOfsS9m
— Ingrid Serrano Duque (@ingridserrano) April 21, 2015
Maickel Melamed has stated that this marathon was special to him because Boston was the place his parents brought him as a child for treatment, says the Boston Globe.
Melamed may have come in last among the runners, but in the eyes of those who know his story, this Boston Marathon runner came in first.
[Image via El Mundo Boston]
