BOSTON (WHDH) - Rosie Halper-Rosenthal’s dream is to run the Boston Marathon.
But she won’t be doing it alone.
At 16, she was diagnosed with Usher Syndrome, which is a degenerative condition causing hearing and vision loss. She is now legally blind, but doesn’t let that keep her from running races.
“They call it tunnel vision because you can only really see what you’re looking at,” she said. “I also don’t see at night.”
Which is why she has a guide runner, Barrett Tarris.
“I just run next to her and sometimes we just hold on to a tether, sometimes I just use my voice,” Tarris told 7NEWS.
Together, running for Team Lifeline, the two just completed their first marathon in New York, finishing in 5 hours and 7 minutes, just 7 minutes shy of qualifying for Boston — but beyond their expectations.
Harper-Rosenthal says her next marathon may be a bit warmer — she’s preparing for a possible run in Miami this February.
For more information about the organization the two ran to benefit, you can visit chailifeline.org. Chai Lifeline supports children with cancer and other debilitating illnesses, as well as their families.
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