14 April, 2012
In a tribute to Patriots’ Day, Sgt. Matthew Chalifoux, a wounded soldier, will fire the starters’ pistol to start the second wave of the 116th Boston Marathon at 10:20 a.m. on Patriots’ Day, April 16, 2012.
Chalifoux, a purple heart recipient from Spencer, Mass., was assigned to the 181st Infantry, Massachusetts National Guard and deployed to Paktika Province in Afghanistan in 2010. On November 28, 2010 his vehicle was struck with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), severely injuring him with a broken back, multiple compound fractures to his right leg, and significant soft tissue damage. Chalifoux was medically evacuated from Afghanistan to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington DC. He continues to serve on active duty while recovering from his injuries.
“The B.A.A., like Hopkinton, takes pride in acknowledging the service and sacrifices of our veterans,” said Dorothy Ferriter-Wallace, chairperson of the Hopkinton Marathon Committee (HMC), who helps to select the starters for the second and third waves of the Boston Marathon.
In addition to selecting Chalifoux as a starter, the HMC and B.A.A. recognize Patriots’ Day at the start of the Boston Marathon in other ways. Since 2002, the HMC has honored local veterans at the start of the Boston Marathon every year. Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Dan Clark, known as the Singing Trooper, sings the National Anthem prior to the start of the marathon’s first wave. Last year, he also sang a medley of patriotic songs. In some years, marathoners have enjoyed a military fly-over at the start. The runners’ bib numbers are red, white or blue to designate which wave they start in—red (wave one), white (wave two), and blue (wave three).
According to the B.A.A. website, “From 1897-1968, the Boston Marathon was held on Patriots’ Day, April 19, a holiday commemorating the start of the Revolutionary War and recognized only in Massachusetts and Maine. The lone exception was when the 19th fell on Sunday. In those years, the race was held the following day (Monday the 20th). However, in 1969, the holiday was officially moved to the third Monday in April. Since 1969 the race has been held on a Monday.”
