Chicago Cops Help Injured Marathon Runner Finish Race

CHICAGO, IL — Two Chicago police officers who were assigned to work at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon Sunday probably didn't anticipate having to finish the marathon themselves. But that's what fate had in store for Officer Joseph Siska (22nd District) and Probationary Officer Alfredo Martinez (5th District) on marathon day. Siska and Martinez were on duty near the 24th mile marker of the marathon on the South Side about four hours into the race when they noticed a runner on the ground.

"He attempted to jump off his right foot and medics tried to help, but he wasn't able (to run anymore,)" Martinez said during a press conference held Wednesday at the Chicago Police District 22 station.

The runner, identified through race results as Edward Hensley, 47, of Bartlett, suffered a broken hip with just two miles to go.

"You could tell how bad he wanted to finish," Siska said. "He said it was his 11th marathon." (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news for Chicago — or your neighborhood. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

Hensley wouldn't accept a a wheelchair, noting that it would not count as a finished marathon.

"So I told him I could help," said Siska, a 10-year veteran Chicago police officer. "Once he said he was OK with that, I said let's go."

Siska and Martinez escorted Hensley the final two miles of the race. They used a folding chair to help move him along, but the journey was a long one — and one that, by the time it ended, had the officers feeling like they were the runner's longtime friends.

"Edward was very inspiring," Siska said. "His drive to never give up, even though you could tell how much pain he was in."

The two officers talked with the runner about "family, work, his marathons" while inching along Michigan Avenue, turning right on Roosevelt Road and finishing together in Grant Park.

"I think he said his record was three hours or something in the Chicago Marathon," said Siska, who noted his lack of knowledge when it comes to the sport of running.

"I had no idea a marathon was that long," he told reporters with a laugh. "Twenty-six miles? I thought it was, like, 10 miles."

"It's actually 26.2," Martinez added. "I remember when we got to the 26 mile sign, thinking, 'It's not over yet?' (Hensley) said no, we still need to go around a corner and up a hill."

It took about two hours for the officers to help Hensley across the finish line. According to race results, Hensley finished at 2:23 p.m. with a time of 6 hours, 47 minutes, 44 seconds.

"It was pretty exciting to watch him finish," Siska said.

Hensley insisted on powering across the finish line on his own, and then stood at the medal stand to receive the finisher's medal with a record 43,000 runners during the marathon's 40th running.

During the two-hour stretch, the group of three was met by several runners who would "pat us on the back" and thank us for what we were doing, Siska said.

But it just happened to be those two officers in that place at that time.

"Any police officer would have done the same thing if they were in my post," Siska said. "I am glad that I was in that position, though."

Siska said Hensley has undergone surgery on the broken hip and is recovering at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

The experience, one that shows the determination of one man and the compassion of two others who would not allow him to be disappointed, has tied Siska, Martinez and Hensely together for the rest of their lives.

Both police officers said they have already become friends because of the experience.

But will it inspire either of them to sign up for a marathon themselves in the future?

In Siska's words, "probably not."

CPD officers escort runner final two miles to complete Chicago Marathon after he suffered a broken hip. Heroes, always Heroes. #ChicagoPD pic.twitter.com/6kY1ZPSIzP
— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) October 10, 2017

Photo by Tim Moran / Patch