Marathoner Finishes Cross-Country Run 5 Years After Surviving Brutal Hit & Run Accident

A runner made it his mission to finish a cross-country marathon after he recovered from a hit-and-run accident that almost killed him.

Nick Ashill first decided to run across the United States back in 2015 when he lost his mom to a disease of the lungs called pulmonary fibrosis.

So not only did he want a way to honor her passing, but he also wanted to raise awareness of this disease during his run.

Unfortunately, Ashill’s cross-country run came to a halt on August 2, 2017, when he was hit by a pickup truck at 60mph. He was tossed in the air and landed in a ditch on his back on a rural highway outside of Columbus, Ohio.

He was rushed to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center by helicopter, where he required reconstruction of his inner thigh and perineal area. In a span of three and a half years, he underwent 16 surgeries.

During his recovery, he went through a lot of physical therapy to help regain his strength. He had to relearn to stand, then walk and then run, but doctors warned him that he may never run again.

But even after hearing that news from doctors, Ashill was still determined to finish his run.

He went to the gym three days a week and ran six days a week before finally returning to his run on May 30th of this year.

He picked up right where he left off, right by the ditch that he almost lost his life in.

After 19 days of running 607 miles, he finally made it to the finish line. He was both trilled and relieved to have finally reached the end point at Coney Island.

“It’s been a huge awakening for me,” he told The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. “I want to thank everybody who has helped me get there. As human beings, we forget about the importance of kindness and that kindness is there every single day.”

Hear his inspiring story in the video below: