A Dad’s 5K Finish Becomes a Beautiful Moment of Love, Strength and Hope

A dad’s 5K finish becomes a beautiful moment of love, strength, and hope. For Dean Mallie, the Lisbon Sauerkraut Days 5K in Iowa wasn’t just another run to add under his belt. These days were marked by memories with his kids over the years. 

“It’s just home,” Dean said of the course he had trained on and raced countless times.

Dad Returns to a Meaningful 5K After Cancer Diagnosis

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Then, two years ago, Dean was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. Before cancer changed what his body could do, Dean ran marathons and races with his sons. He could no longer run this 5K beside them the way he once had.

But his sons understood something beautiful about loving someone through illness: when they cannot carry themselves the way they used to, you meet them where they are. 

Dad Walks Across the Finish Line on His Own

“He’s at this point [where he’s] not necessarily able to run it in the way that he used to,” his son Dustin Mallie said. “But we can still participate. We can still get him across the finish line.”

And they did. Dean’s sons pushed their dad along the course, finishing in just under 50 minutes. Then, as the finish line came into view, they gave the moment back to him.

Family Support Turns the 5K Into a Powerful Moment

And the most beautiful part was when Dean stood. With his hands gripping his walker and his sons close by, he walked across the finish line on his own two feet while his community cheered. There is something sacred about a finish line when you know what it costs someone to reach it.

Cancer has taken much from Dean, but it hasn't taken his desire to help others. He believes radon exposure caused his lung cancer, and he now encourages families to test their homes for the invisible, odorless gas. His advocacy has already prompted many people to test and, when needed, mitigate their homes.

“We’ve called this a marathon,” Dean said, “and that’s what it’s been.”

Maybe some of life's hardest races are like that.

Strength Means Accepting the Hands Pushing Us Forward

We start them believing strength means running. Then life teaches us that strength can also mean accepting the hands pushing us forward. It can mean standing when standing is hard. It can mean taking the last few steps with the people we love cheering us on, close enough to catch us.

Dean crossed that finish line on his feet. But he didn't get there alone, and the most beautiful part was that he was strengthened and lifted up by his family. This time, strength wasn’t measured by the clock, it was hard won in every step. 

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“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

WATCH: A Dad’s 5K Finish Becomes a Beautiful Moment of Love, Strength and Hope 

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Heather Riggleman is a believer, wife, mom, author, social media consultant, and full-time writer. She lives in Minden, Nebraska with her kids, high school sweetheart, and three cats who are her entourage around the homestead. She is a former award-winning journalist with over 2,000 articles published. She is full of grace and grit, raw honesty, and truly believes tacos can solve just about any situation. You can find her on GodUpdates, iBelieve, Crosswalk, Hello Darling, Focus On The Family, and in Brio Magazine. Connect with her at www.HeatherRiggleman.com or on Facebook.