Act Of Heroism At Boston Marathon Makes Latrobe Man An Internet Star
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LATROBE (KDKA) -- An act of heroism at the end of Monday's Boston Marathon has made a Latrobe man an internet star.
The marathon is the ultimate test for a runner, and the Boston Marathon is the nation's premiere running event.
Kevin Wanichko, the women's cross-country coach at St. Vincent College, was disappointed in his time for this year's marathon, but his performance there has put him in the national spotlight.
"I didn't have the race that I personally wanted to have, but I know the amount of training that I put in. It was, you know, four and a half months of training, as many people at that starting line put months of training in, so if I could help someone get to the finish line, that was rewarding for me that day," Wanichko said.
As he neared the finish line on Boston's legendary Boylston Street, Wanichko saw another runner stumbling and immediately came to his aid.
"Being a coach, I look after my runners every day, so when I saw someone that needed help, I just wanted to give him a helping hand and get him to the finish line," he said.
Running alongside distressed runner Chris Fernandez, of Malden, Mass., Wanichko was joined by Mexican national Allan Villanueva.
Together, they hooked arms underneath Fernandez's shoulders, and they walked and carried Fernandez to the finish line.
"He was unconscious. They rushed him off. He had a temperature of 108 degrees after the race, so he spent the afternoon at the hospital that day," Wanichko said.
Wanichko thought little of the incident until about an hour and a half later when his cell phone blew up with more than 100 text messages from friends.
Images of his valor had gone viral on the internet and posts of praise came pouring in.
It's been a week of unaccustomed notoriety, but Jeannie Wanichko says her husband's action came as no surprise.
"I'm proud of him, and he did such a great thing. I know that he was upset with the race he had, but I think this is greater than a really good run," she said.
