Three strangers link arms to carry a collapsed runner over the Boston finish
At the Boston Marathon, Aaron Beggs of Northern Ireland and Robson De Oliveira of Brazil stopped near the line to help a collapsed Ajay Haridasse, and the three strangers crossed the finish together in a moment that went viral worldwide.
SportsGNGV Editorial Team4 min readLast reviewed September 28, 2026
In the closing metres of the 130th Boston Marathon, run on Monday, a moment of pure compassion unfolded that would soon travel around the world. Ajay Haridasse, a 21-year-old from the Boston area, collapsed before the finish line, his body spent. What happened next had nothing to do with times or rankings.
Two fellow runners, Aaron Beggs of Northern Ireland and Robson De Oliveira of Brazil, stopped without hesitation. They lifted Haridasse to his feet, draped his arms over their shoulders and, linked together, the three strangers staggered the final stretch and crossed the line as one. A video of the moment spread quickly online, watched and shared by millions.
Beggs later explained that there was no calculation involved. I looked at my watch, I looked at him again, and my natural instinct was to just go and pick him up, he said. He suggested the clip resonated so widely precisely because of how much heavy news fills the world, noting that people are hungry for reminders of kindness.
Remarkably, even after slowing to help, both Beggs and De Oliveira posted times fast enough to qualify for the following year race. But the qualifying mark was almost beside the point. Three runners from three different countries, who had never met, will now share a story for the rest of their lives, a small act of solidarity that reminded a vast audience of what sport, at its best, can bring out in people.
