Heartwarming Story Alert: A Marathon Runner With Terminal Brain Cancer Won Race Despite Pushing His Six-Year Old Daughter Along With Him

This is the best feel-good story we’ve seen in a long time. Iram Leon is a 32-year-old marathon runner who has terminal brain cancer. He has run six races with his daughter, Kiana, but that typically isn’t allowed in marathons. Leon fought to be allowed to run with Kiana in the Gusher Marathon in Texas, and won his appeal after being rejected four times. This would be incredible in itself. But he also actually won the race.

He said he doesn’t ever want to compete again without his daughter. Here’s video of him running along to Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life.”

His reasoning for running with Kiana is tear-jerking.

Mr Leon, who has been told his cancer will not be cured, said: ‘The one thing I’m not going to say on my death bed is, “I wish I spent more time with my kid”.’

Leon’s cancer won’t be cured, but fortunately he’s still able to run and his death isn’t imminent.

He was diagnosed with a grade two diffuse astrocytoma in November 2010. Doctors hope he will live to see his 40th birthday…

His brain tumour, which affects his memory and language skills, means Mr Leon can’t drive, work, or play contact sports, but his cancer has not hampered his ability to run…

‘Turns out that maybe brain cancer, which has come with some nightmare scenarios, also has had some that are better than I could have ever dreamed,’ he wrote (on his blog).

‘…At the Gusher Marathon, against the wind and up hill, with my princess and inspiration a step ahead of me, I ran on a highway even if I’m not allowed to drive on it.’

You can donate to Kiana’s college fund here.

[Daily Mail]

Photos via Daily Mail