Lost legs

After running together with one-legged triathlete Rudy Fernandez for nearly  30 years, I’ve been in close contact with amputees including those in the wheelchair. In fact, we’ve done several wheelchair marathons.  Rudy, who lost his right leg from above the knee in an IloIlo movie house explosion, continue to inspire a lot of Pwds.  Rudy swam 26 kilometers from Guimaras to Bacolod in 1966 and cycled 240 kilometers from IloIlo City to Jamindan,Capiz.  So when a bomb exploded in the finish line of the  2013 Boston Marathon , I was stunned.  Three people died while several lost their limbs. Enter Amy Palmiero.  Winters, 40, an amputee who lost her left leg below knee in a  motorcycle crash in 1997. Amy has since then been nothing but amazing.  She owns the marathon world record for a female below the knee amputee (3:04) and is likewise an ultramarathoner.   She’s the first female amputee below the knee to finish the grueling 100 mile Western States Endurance Run and the first female amputee to finish the 135 mile Badwater  Ultramarathon.  Now, Amy wants to help those kids who lost their legs in the Boston bombing.  There are about 14.  Now a director of A Step Ahead Prosthetics, the company who gave her the artificial leg in 2006,Amy said a below the knee prosthetics costs $25,000 while the  above knee could go up to $50,000.  Amy knows the value of running again.  Just before the accident Amy finished the 1993 Boston Marathon (on two healthy legs) finishing in 3 :16. Doctors said she would never run again but she proved them wrong just like Rudy, who said “disability is just a state of mind.”

Healing music

A Boston Strong benefit concert was held the month following the bombing.  Tickets were sold out in 5 minutes.  The performers included Aerosmith, James Taylor, Carole King, Jimmy Buffet and New Kids on the Block whose member Joey Mc Intyre, ran the marathon in 3:57.  Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” has become the song that reminds of the bombing.  He sang it at the Red Sox game.

Christmas with Elvis

Elvisaya  together with some of Cebu’s best singers will perform in a mini-concert on December 20 at the Activity Center of Robinsons Fuente.  The free concert  called Christmas with Elvis and friends  which starts at 5pm, features Elvisaya, Jhun Villahermosa, the Frank Sinatra of Cebu, TV host  Sam Costanilla and Max Andrino(Dos Gwapos) and one of Cebu’s best female singers, Aimee Felomino.  Don’t miss it!

Did you know?

• The first Boston Marathon was held in 1897 with only 15 starters.

• Clarence DeMar won the Boston Marathon seven times, more than anybody else.  He was 42 when he last won the race.  He placed seventh when he was 50 and in 1954, he placed 78th in a field of 153 runners at age 65.