By Joanna Putman
Police1
LOS ANGELES — News video captured the moment an LAPD sergeant helped a young teen finish the Los Angeles Marathon, KABC reported.
“I wanted to help him make sure that he achieves his goal,” said LAPD Sgt. Jay Balgemino. Balgemino was stationed about half a mile away from the race’s finish line, according to the report.
Balgemino and other witnesses saw the boy pass out from exertion. He mentioned that because he and other witnesses were so close to the finish line, his initial instinct was to assist the 14-year-old in crossing it on his own feet.
“The first thing he asked was, ‘Did I finish?’ so me and his sister kind of guided him towards the path to see if he could finish it,” Balgemino said. “Towards the end, I wanted him to do it on his own, so he can cross the finish line on his own, but his legs just gave out, so I just carried him and took him to the finish line.”
Video shows Balgemino carrying the boy across the line, exuberant to have finished the race.
“If you could hear me, I’ll say, ‘Good job. I’m proud of you, and you’re my inspiration,” said Balgemino as a message to the boy.