Obit of the Day

Obit of the Day: “Impossible is Nothing”

Jason Pisano completed the 2012 Boston Marathon in twelve hours and eight minutes. It was his 52nd marathon. Pisano, who was born with cerebral palsy, uses his left foot to push his wheelchair backwards through the race course. (You can see him finish the Boston race here.)

In 1994, at the age of 22, Pisano participated in the Ocean State Marathon, finishing in thirteen hours. After that his friend, Vinny Paz (formerly Vinny Pazienza), a professional boxer joked that Pisano should complete fifty marathons to match Paz’s fifty wins in the ring. Pisano took the challenge.

Over the next 17 years, Pisano would actually complete 51 more including eighteen Boston Marathons, eight New York City Marathons, five Breakers Marathons (RI), five Ocean State Marathons, four Mystic Places Marathons (CT), 3 Cox Providence Marathons, a Disney World Marathon, a Lakefront Marathon (WI), Hartford Marathon, and an Amica Marathon (CT). He also participated in the Mount Washington Road race, a seven mile-trek up New Hampshire’s tallest peak.

Pisano was also a two-time world champion in the Cerebral Palsy Games and was internationally ranked in the 100 and 200 meter track events. A 1998 graduate from the University of Connecticut with a degree in journalism, Pisano noted it was hard for journalists to find work and became a motivational speaker.

Just two weeks after his Boston Marathon finish, Pisano suffered a “choking episode” causing severe brain damage. His family removed him from a respirator and he died at the age of 40.

In his last blog post, Pisano wrote “[Thank you] for the support. My streak is intact, but that was my last full marathon ever and if I get any idea about 1 more shoot me. 12:08, slow but never quit.”

Sources: teampisano.com, Chicago Sun-Times

(Image of Jason Pisano taken for Northeast Magazine is copyright Derek Dudek)