Edmonton man with cerebral palsy set to race in marathon with help from a friend

Larry Adams will be 87-years-old at the end of August. Born with cerebral palsy, he was told he would not live past the age of 25.

“I was born in Edmonton, because I’ll soon have my 87th birthday. I’ll die here. Most people come from somewhere else, or they go somewhere else. So I’m one of the few odd people that will start here and end here,” said Adams.

“Edmonton’s my home. I’ve seen it grow. I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. I’m the bad and the ugly part.”

Adams has a friend named Debra Kasowski.

“I met Larry 30 years ago. He worked at the equipment desk at the University of Alberta, and I’d grab a towel, we’d have a visit, and we’ve had this friendship for over 30 years,” said Kasowski.

This Sunday, Kasowski will fulfill Adam’s longtime wish of being part of a marathon, as she pushes Adam’s wheelchair through the 5k run at the Servus Edmonton Marathon.

“I am pushing, and he is ready for the speed that I get behind him,” said Kasowski.

Adams added, “I’m afraid that she won’t make it. I don’t know if I can push with all the extra weight.”

Kasowski ran her first marathon in 2019 at the Edmonton marathon. She says that after about 36 kilometres, her legs and brain wouldn’t let her run anymore. Her friend encouraged her to keep going and just walk it in.

“There was this lonely volunteer at the end waiting for me with my medal. I’m not a fast runner, and he said, ‘Can I give you a hug?’ I said, ‘Sure.’ And he leaned in and said, ‘That was a long way, wasn’t it?’” Kasowski explained.

And that special moment is what Kasowski hopes for Adams.

“I want Larry to have that experience. The cheering, the community, just people supporting one another, no matter what their ability is. We’re capable of so much,” said Kasowski.

Adams added, “When you see something like this that’s going to happen on Sunday, you see the good part about Edmonton.”

Kasowski and Adams will be two of the Edmonton marathon record-breaking 8,500 runners, gathering in downtown on Sunday. This year’s Edmonton marathon is also playing host to the Canadian half-marathon, bringing in world-class athletes from across the country.