Woman with ALS gets new running chair for marathon

Denise DiMarzo's smile lit up the room Saturday night when she tried out her new running chair that she'll debut on marathon Monday.

Looking at Denise though, some might struggle to understand how she can smile at all. Denise has ALS; she can't move, she can't talk and she can only communicate through the voicebox she types with her eyes. However, she has beat the odds and made it past the five-year mark living with the disease – joining a small class of people.

"One in 20,000 people," said Chris Benyo.

And so she and her husband, Chris, and her caregiver drove through the night last night from Illinois to Boston to mark the milestone.

"The Boston Marathon is the best way we can think of to celebrate living last the five year mark," said 
DiMarzo. 

Denise and Chris will do it together with a brand-new custom built chair donated by Mike Didonato of Team Hoyt. The team built racing chairs for the iconic father-son duo Rick and Dick Hoyt.

" I can't say enough about him, Mike, he does Team Hoyt right  – he's just caring about the individual person," said Benyo.

" it warms my heart it's why I wake up every morning and love to go to work," said Didonato.

That passion will allow Denise to for fill her mission by getting her message out to the masses.

" Do not give up your dreams just keep setting personal goals," said DiMarzo. 

After Denise hit the five-year mark in December, she made a personal goal to run 10 marathons this year. After she and Chris cross the finish line Monday, still only have two more to complete to reach that goal.

Cox Media Group