On a crisp, beautiful Saturday morning last weekend, Mauldin firefighter and avid runner, Gary Brinkley, Jr., a veteran of marathons, set off for what should have been for him an easy 5K race in Mauldin. But more than midway through the route, something went terribly wrong.
Brinkley collapsed, the victim of a brain hemorrhage.
Brinkley remains in the hospital following last week's Peacock Strides for Babies 5K, the right side of his body still in paralysis from the incident.
To honor him, between 50-100 friends and colleagues on Sunday will gather at the spot where he collapsed to finish the race for him, an idea hatched by fellow 5K participant and City Council member Larry Goodson.
Goodson, fellow firefighters, Mauldin Sports Center personnel, friends and others will meet up at 2 p.m. at the open field near the intersection of SC 417 and Golden Strip Drive to complete Brinkley's last mile.
The public is invited, too, said the sports center's Leah Einhorn, who is helping to organize the run.
"We thought it be really good to finish the race for him in his honor," she said. "We think he'd appreciate it."
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Friends of Stricken Runner to Finish Race
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