Watch marathon runner burst into tears when parents travel across country to surprise her
A runner’s first New York City marathon became even more unforgettable when she got a surprise at mile 17.
Just two days earlier, Maddison Nicholas was on the phone with her mom, Susan, who lived in Arizona. “I knew that if she wasn’t on a flight then they were definitely not coming,” she said.
Still, she felt excited about the upcoming race and her parents’ support from afar. “I felt exhilarated,” she said. “Running any marathon is an amazing accomplishment.”
Mile after mile, she pushed forward - from Staten Island to Brooklyn and Queens, crossing Queensboro bridge into Manhattan. But at mile 17, everything changed.
Click to watch the video below to what happened when Maddison spotted her surprise cheerleaders!
“It’s hard to comprehend all the emotions I felt because I was already feeling an abundance of emotions with running a marathon,” she said. “Having my parents surprise me at mile 17 was a moment I will absolutely never forget!”
Though overwhelmed with emotion, Maddison was energized from her parents’ support. “I was uncontrollable,” she said. “I had to finish that race knowing I was able to hug them after I finished!”
“ I don’t know how they orchestrated it, but having them show up and support me was the greatest gift on this planet,” Maddison said. “I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.”
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch marathon runner cry with joy as parents surprise her during race
