After His Fiance Was Killed While Training, Man Runs Boston Marathon In Her Memory
BOSTON (CBS) - Every runner who takes on the Boston Marathon has a story, and this one, while sad, is also an uplifting story of love.
Wendy Martinez was training for the Boston Marathon near her home in Washington, D.C., when she was attacked and killed. Her fiance has taken up her cause and will be on the starting line Monday, running in her memory and to further her goals.
"It almost feels like I'm running right next to her. It's like she's there," says Daniel Hincapie, who is now training alone instead of with his love, Wendy Martinez. "It reminds me a lot of Wendy. She was a very competitive runner, and Boston was her dream."
Last September, Martinez was running in Logan Circle near her Washington, D.C., home when police say Anthony Crawford stabbed the 35-year-old seven times, killing her.
"It's hard. I mean, I miss her every day. I miss her every night," Hincapie says.
Hincapie asked Martinez to marry him just six days earlier. They had begun planning the wedding. Now he'll run Boston for her.
"I'm confident I'm going to be able to finish. I'm going to run in my heart, and I'm quite sure that Wendy is going to be right there next to me, mile by mile," he says.
Hincapie is running for the Lingzi Foundation, named for one of the people killed by the Marathon bombings in 2013. He'll also raise money for an organization he started in Wendy's name to create scholarships and to empower women to excel.
"I want people to not be afraid. You have to continue running. You have to go out there, and you have to continue pursuing the dreams of your loved ones. These types of events are not going to win. Violence and hate are not going to win," he says.
While Hincapie wants justice, he has forgiven Martinez's attacker.
Supporters can donate to Hincapie's Crowdrise page.
