Local mother to run Boston Marathon in honor of son

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga, — Friday was the third anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings.

A mother will run the marathon Monday in honor of her son who was killed following a car accident.

Channel 2's Craig Lucie met the woman at what she and her community call a special place to honor a young man taken too soon.

The 17th hole at the Chestatee Golf Club in Dawsonville is where Deb Dumphy's then 14-year-old son, Joe Dumphy, had his second hole in one. %

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A year later, the rising sophomore at North Forsyth County High School and member of the varsity golf team lost his life in a car accident that also took his grandfather's life.

“I decided it was a good opportunity to do something in Joe’s memory and support the scholarship,” Deb Dumphy said.

Deb Dumphy said running has been therapeutic for her and that's why on Monday, April 18, she will run the Boston Marathon in her son's honor.

“I’ll be thinking a lot about Joe and talking to Joe the whole run as I do in all of my training runs now talking with Joe,” Deb Dumphy said.

Deb Dumphy told us she knows her "little Joe" will be right there with her.

“To run for him I’m sure I will have an angel looking down on me and helping me through every bit of,” Deb Dumphy said.

The training for Boston has been anything but easy after Deb Dumphy had a bad fall on ice.

“Broke my arm in three places. That was five weeks ago; nine screws and a plate later I’ve got my running shoes laced up and continue to train with cast on. That's what Joe would've done without question,” Deb Dumphy said.

Deb Dumphy said the Boston Marathon is about perseverance and pushing yourself, which she said her son did every day

“Joe preserved through everything anything presented to him,” Deb Dumphy said.

While running the 2016 Boston Marathon, Deb Dumphy will also be

to help pay for another deserving student go to college.

“To carry his memory (and) at same time reward other children who have the same morals work ethic and faith base that he does,” Deb Dumphy said.

Cox Media Group