Former Homeless Man Running Boston Marathon

He first served hard time in prison.

Some people would like to “run from their past”. For Chris Hatton, this saying has special meaning. Fourteen years ago Hatton served 14 years in prison for committing a violent crime.

“I don’t want to go back to where I came from,” he says. “I wanted to set an example for people on the inside. I would get tired of seeing the same people come back over and over and over again.”

While serving time, Hatton literally took steps towards improving himself: He ran around the prison’s dirt track.

“It was kind of in my mind back then that I would love to run Boston,” he says, referring to the Boston Marathon, one of the most prestigious races in the world.

When Hatton got out of prison, he linked up with a non-profit program called Back on My Feet.

“Usually, people are shunned,” says Hatton. “Homeless people or people coming out of prison are shunned by society, so everyday people just coming out and giving you a hug. It’s not about where you’ve come from. They accept you with open arms.”

For More: My Fox DC