BOSTON (WHDH) - A full circle moment for a woman who witnessed the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing, Alexis Anastos was in the crowd and swore one day she’d run the race.
“So the next year, one of my best friends, Caitlyn and I, we went back, we went to the expo, and we signed this thing, ‘promises for Boston strong,'” Alexis said. “We wrote our names, saying that we would run it in 2022.”
But a few years after that, at just 17, Alexis shattered her leg on a ski jump in New Hampshire.
“I remember vividly telling the doctor that I went to see in Boston, that I didn’t want to have my leg,” Alexis said. “Like I was in so much pain. I hated being in the wheelchair.”
Alexis went through several surgeries and spent a year in the wheelchair. Now, at 27, she’s a ski coach and has run three half marathons. After years of training, now, she’ll run the Boston Marathon for the Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation.
“When I learned about the Stepping Strong Foundatin, I really just wanted to, you know, raise money for a cause that I care about and also run for those that can’t run,” Alexis said.
The Stepping Strong Foundation was created by the family of Gillian Reny, a survivor the marathon bombing. The foundation helps people dealing with traumatic injuries with a specialized care team. Something Alexis said was critical in her recovery.
“That’s why raising money for this, you know, is so important to me,” Alexis said. “Make sure people get the same care as me.”
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