Veteran With Prosthetic Leg Carries Guide Across Boston Marathon Finish Line

WCVB—the ABC affiliate in Boston—captured a truly inspiring sight at the end of the 2017 Boston Marathon yesterday. Earl Granville, a combat Wounded Leg Amputee and an Adaptive Athlete, carried his guide, Andi Marie, and his American flag across the finish line.

Granville is a veteran of the Pennsylvania National Guard. On this third deployment to Afghanistan in 2008, he lost his left leg after a roadside bomb hit his vehicle.

This was his first time running a marathon. Granville had previously competed Boston on hand cycle as an adaptive athlete for Operation Enduring Warrior. After watching friends, who are also amputees, cross the finish line last year, he knew he could take on the challenge too. When not running, Granville is a mental health advocate, helping other veterans speak out and find treatment for PTSD.

In an interview with Spartan Races, Granville said about 10 miles before he started cramping. “The options were to quit or walk and I wasn’t quitting,” he said of his race.

After turning onto Boylston, he asked Andi, a fellow Spartan athlete who guided him the entire way, if he could carry her across the finish line.

Watch the amazing video below.