Andy Hamilton Runs Boston Marathon to Support Mother with ALS NORTHBOROUGH – During long training runs, there’s seemingly always a time when muscles start cramping, energy starts to run out, and the legs get tired. Andy Hamilton calls it “the wall.” But in those moments, thinking of his mother, Eileen, gives Hamilton the energy to push forward. On April 20, Hamilton will run the Boston Marathon to support his mother, who, like thousands of others across the world, is affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), sometimes called Lou Gehrig’s disease. “My mom would give anything to be able to go out on a run – she can’t do it,” Hamilton told the Community Advocate. “You have to remember how lucky you are to put on your running shoes, go outside, run, and trust that your body is going to get you there. You have that appreciation for what you have.” Eileen Hamilton – who ran the Boston Marathon (unofficially) beside her husband, Joseph, in 1980 and 1981 – was diagnosed with ALS in 2023. The news was heartbreaking to family members, who felt as if they were losing the “best person they know.” “In the moment – earth-shattering, right? Total change of perspective on life. You go through life and think your parents are going to be around. You know they’ll be gone someday, you just don’t think it’s going to be soon,” said Andy Hamilton. “Having to confront that – total change of perspective in many ways. What’s important in life? That gives you a lot of clarity.” Eileen Hamilton has handled the situation with “strength, positivity, and grace,” and with help from Compassionate Care ALS, a non-profit with a “mission to support people diagnosed with ALS, their families, healthcare providers, and communities as they navigate the complexities, both physical and emotional, associated with the disease.#boston_marathon #andy_hamilton #eileen_hamilton #compassionate_care_als #als
