A Chicago man running in his 11th marathon on Sunday got some help from two police officers after he injured his hip just two miles from the finish line. Edward Hensley, who has completed the Chicago Marathon nine times, said he had been dealing with some pain in his left leg in the weeks leading up to the race, The Chicago Sun-Times reported.
“It gradually increased,” he told the news outlet. “At about Mile 20 it really started to act up. At Mile 24 I felt something I’ve never felt before in my life and I couldn’t walk anymore.”
FATAL OUTBREAK IN MADAGASCAR: PNEUMONIC PLAGUE HAS HEALTH OFFICIALS SCRAMBLING
Hensley sat on the ground and was met by a Chicago Police Department officer who helped him to a nearby aid tent, where he spent about 40 minutes receiving treatment, The Chicago Sun-Times reported. The officer then asked if he wanted help finishing the race, and the pair set out to finish the race before another policeman joined to help.
It took more than an hour for the three to make the two-mile journey, with Hensley using a folding chair as a makeshift crutch and stopping for a break after every block. He told the news outlet that one of the officers told him “We’ll be here as long as you need up for however long it takes.”
Hensley completed the race in six hours, 47 minutes and 44 seconds.
IRONMAN DIES HOURS AFTER BEING BITTEN BY SNAKE
“On one leg, I hopped across the finish line,” he told The Chicago Sun-Times.
A photo of the three nearing the finish line has been circulating on Twitter after being shared by the Chicago Police Department’s chief communications officer.
“CPD Officers escort runner final two miles to complete Chicago Marathon after he suffered a broken hip,” Officer Anthony Guglielmi wrote on Twitter. “Heroes, always Heroes.”
Stay up-to-date on the biggest health and wellness news with our weekly recap.