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The Story Behind the Story

A 4.2-mile course: easy for some, but months of preparation for Shelly Davidson. When Shelly was disabled by a massive stroke, he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to participate in Pat’s Run, a race honoring former Arizona Cardinals player Pat Tillman, who was killed in Afghanistan while serving in the U.S. Army. A Vietnam veteran himself, Shelly’s daughter Jennifer told him he would be able to participate in the race because she would push him. And then they did the same thing the following year.

Although doctors said Shelly would never be able to walk again, he saw someone using walking sticks and started practicing. What happened next was remarkable. When Leslie Woodard, a Pat’s Run participant saw one of Shelly’s painstaking approaches to the Finish Line, she told the story to her friend, producer Robert Felix, who decided more people needed to hear the story. The result is “The Finish Line.”

On March 16, 2014, the day after Jenn signed Shelly up for the 2014 Pat’s Run, Shelly passed away at his new home in Missouri. Shelly loved that his story was being shared with the world, and we hope that it is able to inspire many more. If Shelly’s story has touched you, be sure to share it and leave a comment below.