This Sunday's New York Marathon will represent an amazing tale of recovery for one woman in the 50,000 plus field.
Passle Helminski, 68, will take to the line 29 years after being the victim of a vicious attack, which seemingly ended her running days forever. Whilst training for the 1993 version of the event, Helminski had bug aspirations, and knew her time would determine whether she would qualify for the United States Olympic Trials in race walking.
But having completed training walk in Erie County when she returned to her vehicle in a school parking lot, she was assaulted by a man. The attack left a tear in her left carotid artery, one of the two vessels that supplies blood to a person’s neck, face and brain, and she had a stroke hours later.
Following the harrowing incident, Helminski had to learn how to walk and talk again. And the trainers she had planned to wear for the iconic race that year remain inside her front door, as an apparent source of inspiration.
And incredibly Helminski, who exercises with her service dog, Zoey, every morning, will now finish what she started some three decades ago. In a remarkable display of courage and perseverance, she's trained herself to be able to compete and race walk again.
"It’s worth it," she told news observer. "Having the courage to step out of my comfort zone and say, ‘I’m going to approach this, even though it almost cost me my life.’"
Indeed, Helminski still has foot issues from the strike, and limited mobility in her neck and with her vision. And since her fateful night, she has had hairline fractures in her right tibia, a broken her right arm, a broken nose and had left eyelid surgery.
However, she has still managed to compete in a number of races between 5-10k, and having been urged to enter the lottery for a spot in New York by colleagues at Achilles International, an organisation that helps people with disabilities participate in endurance events, she was successful. And despite admitting the course may take her several hours, she's excited for what's ahead.
“I’m here and I’m doing things again,” she said. “Getting up. Putting on my shoes. Using both hands to tie my shoelaces. Going out there and gliding or race walking or running a few steps, it makes my soul smile. It makes me want to spread joy."
