Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx—five New York City boroughs stand between the starting line and the finish of the world's most widely attended marathon, one of the most prestigious races in the United States. This is the dream that two brothers, the Leos, pursue each day in Bellizzi, a town near Salerno, as they train to make it real. Dario, 38, will push the wheelchair carrying Franco, 52, as he races in the marathon's fiftieth edition on November 7—proving to the world that "if you want it, you can do it."
"Franco has lived with spastic tetraparesis since birth, and the more than 42 kilometers he'll need to cover doesn't intimidate him," Dario explains. "For him, taking on this challenge matters because he wants to give hope to other people—young people especially—who have a dream but believe their circumstances won't let them achieve it."
The seed of this challenge was planted during the coronavirus lockdown, a time that left everyone struggling and Franco battling a deep sense of isolation. "During the COVID shutdown," Dario recalls, "Franco fell into depression. That's when I decided I had to do something to help him—and I realized that something had to be the realization of his dream. Not just running the New York Marathon, but also taking a plane, seeing a great city, doing sports outdoors."
It became a real turning point. Dario, who works as an advertising designer, transformed his support for his older brother—an artist who has created over a hundred paintings using a computer and special device, and wrote a book about a decade ago—into a genuine sign of rebirth. When Franco learned of Dario's ambitious plan, he didn't hesitate. He rallied immediately, throwing himself into training schedules and meticulous preparation. "Franco is a competitive person," Dario says. "He pushes me constantly to get the best possible result and to meet the timeline he thinks will give us a strong placement in the race."
To make the dream real, the brothers founded the association "SognoAttivo" (Active Dream) and launched a fundraising campaign to cover travel costs and support others with disabilities who need wheelchairs or other equipment to live fully, according to their own desires. Franco uses a custom wheelchair—one with a racing seat like those in formula cars, handcrafted by an artisan in Reggio Emilia and donated by the Carisal Foundation of Salerno. "At first," Dario says, "I hoped this dream—and I say 'our' dream because it belongs to both of us now, something that binds us deeply—would stay private. But Franco wanted to create the association and later decided that his story (and his determination to run the New York Marathon) should be known, simply to encourage others to move forward and believe in themselves. Today I have to say it was the right choice, because we receive so many messages of encouragement and comments from people telling us they've found hope again because of us. It's a constant conversation that helps Franco and me grow—as human beings too."
Other races serve as training and preparation for New York, allowing Dario and Franco to test what they've learned, refine their technique, and understand what it will take to reach Central Park stage by stage. "We ran the Latina Half Marathon recently, and I'm pleased to say we placed well," Dario notes. We finished 390th out of more than seven hundred athletes—all able-bodied runners—and covered more than 21 kilometers in one hour and 48 minutes. Franco was thrilled. Now we're planning to run the Verona Half Marathon, and then the Naples Half Marathon, which is practically on our doorstep. After that, we'll keep training, since November is coming fast."
The race—held the first Sunday of November—is now just weeks away. The autumn setting of New York is breathtaking, and the marathon has been canceled only twice: during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and the pandemic in 2020. For most people, the race feels like a celebration. For Dario and Franco, it's a race toward freedom and against every kind of prejudice. Whatever their final time, the Leo family has already won. They've succeeded in helping others understand that if you have a dream and you pursue it with patience, determination, and persistence, you are always a victor—no matter what the clock says.
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