[WBTV News — 12.2.2005]
Transcript—WBTV News Report:
Thunder Road Marathon Runners/Causes
Tonia Bendickson, Reporting
[Live on Tryon & Trade Streets]
Anchor 1: “26.2 miles is long enough. You know—you’ve run four marathons yourself.”
Bendickson: “Imagine adding two more miles to what is already a grueling physical and mental challenge. Tomorrow, an Ohio man will do that to honor his brother, killed on a Charlotte street.
“I met Mark Weaver for one last easy run before tomorrow’s race.”
[Begin video]
Weaver: “Todd was a cyclist. And I’m a runner.”
His feet keep moving. But in a way, time has stopped.
October 14. South Tryon Street. Todd Weaver is riding home when a CATS bus driver turns into the cyclist’s path. Weaver is killed. For his family, nothing will ever be the same.
Bendickson: “Mark, what do you want people to know about Todd, Pam, Brady, and Elizabeth?”
Weaver: “Everyone who knew Todd knew what a wonderful father and husband he was...I want people to be aware when then see cyclists on the road, that this is someone who has a family, who has relationships, and that the 5 or 10 seconds you take to be careful around a cyclist is a life you’re helping to protect.”
Before his brother’s death Weaver had planned on running Richmond’s marathon to honor his mom’s 1983 marathon accomplishment.
[Photo]
That’s Todd on the bike. In that bag, the boy carried cut up oranges—until about mile 20 when Mom needed them most.
Weaver: “He looks over and says, ‘Mom, I ate ‘em.’”
Bendickson: “What?”
Weaver: “He’d eaten them.”
Tomorrow, Weaver will add two miles to his marathon route to stop and reflect at the crash site where Todd died. He’ll leave behind a bag of orange slices.
Weaver: “It’s going to take something of a miracle for me to finish”—his brother would have appreciated the humor—“but that’s what I’m expecting.”
[Return to live anchors.]
Bendickson:
“Weaver’s also running to raise money to support Todd’s two kids.
“And he’s not the only one running for a cause in tomorrow’s Thunder Road races.
“Noah Butera is four years old. He’s running the one mile kids run in honor of his Grandma. She died of cancer in September. Noah’s dad Chris is running the marathon distance for the American Cancer Society and Hospice.
“And this is Bill Johncock and his son Logan. Logan has cerebral palsy, and Bill will run the 26.2 miles pushing Logan to raise money for special needs playground equipment at the Conover School.
“If you’d like to give to any of these causes, drop me an email; I’ll get you connected.”
From recorded broadcast, December 2, 2005.
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Pam, please add me to the list of people who considered Todd
their best friend. My life, like many others, has been
changed forever, and my memories of Todd will last a
lifetime. What a wonderful testimony he leaves behind. You,
the family he loved so dearly, and the friends he made
everywhere he went.
