Man Carried Guide Over Boston Marathon Finish Line In 'Spur Of The Moment' Decision

BOSTON (CBS) – It was one of the most memorable scenes of Marathon Monday, and it happened right at the end.

A man with a prosthetic leg picked up his guide runner and carried her, and an American flag over the finish line.

Today we met that veteran and the woman who was his guide for nearly nine bruising hours on the marathon course.

They're part of the Achilles Freedom Team, a group of wounded warriors who have become marathoners.

And on the day after, as the image of their Boston finish flashes across social media, they're all smiles.

"It was literally just a spur of the moment. Just about 50 feet from the finish line I just said to Andi, let me buddy carry you, and I picked her up and we crossed the finish line together, and that was that," Earl Granville explained.

Granville and his guide Andi Piscopo from Attleboro started the race at 8:50 a.m., with Earl carrying the flag as he left Hopkinton.

But we got our first clear look at the duo walking on Boylston Street almost nine hours later. What we didn't see happened hours earlier.

"Maybe around mile 10 I just started cramping and cramping and cramping," said Granville. But he wouldn't stop. "I said, looks like we're walking, Andi."

Piscopo and Granville talked about the memorable moment Tuesday at the Boston headquarters of the Spartan Race, another grueling competition they've done together.

Granville was in the Pennsylvania National Guard when he lost his leg and two close friends to an IED blast nine years ago in Afghanistan.

Today he runs with the Achilles Freedom Team. Despite the pain he was in, he broke into a run for the last few minutes of his marathon.

"The energy of Boston, they say Boston Strong, man it's that energy. It keeps you going. I had tears coming down my face. It was unbelievable," Granville said, adding that "You just got to keep going, and that's it."

"Last year was my first Boston Marathon.  This was my best Boston Marathon because there's is nothing like I felt yesterday," Piscopo added.

This was Earl's fourth Boston Maraton.  Will he and Piscopo do it again?  Piscopo says she's game.  Earl is a definite maybe.