B.C. mom pushes wheelchair-bound son in Okanagan Marathon

KELOWNA — Michelle Gentis and her son Josh ran the Okanagan Half Marathon this morning as a team, proving that marathons are about more than just physical endurance.

13 year old Josh has an undiagnosed brain disorder that leaves him unable to walk, speak, or participate in many of the sports he loves.

Nine years ago, Michelle took it upon herself to solve that problem and started running marathons, pushing Josh in front of her every step of the way.

So, Team Joshua was born – much to Josh’s joy.

“He loves sports. He loves it when people come up and say ‘hey’ or high-five him,” says Gentis. “It’s just really, really great for him.”

Since then, the duo has run marathons across Canada and helped carry the Olympic torch in 2010. John Stanton, founder of the Running Room, says Team Joshua creates a running atmosphere unlike any other wherever they go.

“They take on the challenges of life and succeed by crossing that finish line, knowing they can do other things in their lives too,” says Stanton. “Along the way, they’re providing inspiration to the rest of us.”

Gentis says the support from the community and the love for her son are what fuels her to keep racing, even past the point of exhaustion.

“What’s incredible is that my fastest races are pushing him,” Gentis says. “There’s an energy and an inspiration that I get from running with him and the encouragement from other runners in the crowd helps me to run faster – I love it.”

The Okanagan marathon was a step towards the ultimate goal of running the Boston Marathon, a race they qualified for last year. Unfortunately, the Boston marathon’s rules state that all participants must be at least 18 years old – even those racing in a wheelchair. By the time Josh is of age, he may be too heavy for Michelle to push.

Michelle is currently fighting to appeal these rules so Team Joshua can have a chance at achieving their goal, but until then, they’re happy to keep running locally, so long as they’re a team .

For more information on Team Joshua’s journey, visit teamjoshua.ca.