by Mike Hedeen
Sunday is the 37th running of the New York City Marathon. Members of the Rochester Police and Fire Departments will stage a little friendly competition at the race while running in honor of their fallen brothers. The first to finish gets his name on the Michael Boyle memorial plaque that honors a New York City firefighter and avid runner who died in the September 11th terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center
"It's a connection to history," says Lt. Ted Kuppinger of the Rochester Fire Department. "It connects us to being part of the marathon, it connects us as the police and fire department, it gives us a chance to join together and do different things that way. It connects us to Michael; it connects us to 9/11."
That connection began shortly after September 11th when FDNY officials contacted the RFD to inform them Boyle had relatives in the Rochester area. His sisters Jean Arnold and Mary Lynch live here.
Jean will run the marathon Sunday while Mary and the rest of her family cheer her on. And Michael will be there in spirit.
"I know if Michael was here he'd be running and we would be there for him, and to cheer on everybody else it's a great feeling," Mary says.
"It's sad because he's not there but it's a great feeling to cheer everybody else on."
Michael trained hard for the marathon before his death and Mary says he was looking to turn in a personal best time. "He was shooting to run the marathon November 5th, 2001 in under three hours. Unfortunately that was the day we had his first wake."
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