Local Parents Bring Son's Memory to Boston Marathon

One local family has turned tragedy into triumph, and this year they're adding a marathon to their journey.

In 2011, Sue and Gary Letourneau lost their son Gary Jr. to bone cancer. He was 30 years old and had been battling the disease since age 13. Through his 17-year struggle, he made a lifetime of memories: He graduated from North Andover High School and went to Merrimack College; He worked at his family's business, Electrical Dynamics in North Reading; He played sports -- even throwing out the first pitch for the Boston Red Sox in 2008 -- and loved cars; And he married the love of his life Carolyn in 2010.

The Letourneaus have since created the Gary Letourneau Jr. Hope and Courage Fund at Massachusetts General Hospital -- under the direction of Dr. Howard Weinstein, Gary's oncologist -- to raise money to help teens and adolescents who have been diagnosed with cancer.

For the past two years, the Letourneaus have hosted a golf tournament to raise money for the fund. And this year, three people are running the Boston Marathon in Gary's memory and to raise additional money for the fund as well.

Among the runners are Gary's friend and former home-school tutor, Anne Lynch.

If you would like to make a donation, visit http://www.crowdrise.com/teammassgeneralhospital/fundraiser/annelynch.

According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 12,000 children under age 15 in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer, and cancer is the second leading cause of death in children under 15.