When Gweneviere Mann lost her short-term memory following brain surgery, she and her then boyfriend, Yasir Salem, had to figure out a new way of living.
They decided to start running marathons to keep her spirits up. Their first was the New York City Marathon, during which Gwen asked Yasir to lie — telling her they’d only been running for 10 or 15 minutes, so that she wouldn’t give up.
But in 2018, Gwen was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away soon after. Consumed by grief, he decided to take on a monumental task and tribute to his wife: He was going to run.
To hear more of Yasir and Gwen’s story, listen to The StoryCorps Podcast from NPR.
Top Photo: Gweneviere Mann and Yasir Salem at their StoryCorps interview on October 19, 2011. By Michael Garofalo for StoryCorps.
Middle Photo: Yasir Salem on August 2, 2024 in Austin, TX with the medals he won from running 50 marathons in 50 states in one year. By Michelle Dahlenburg for StoryCorps
Bottom Photo: Gweneviere Mann’s medal from running the New York City Marathon in 2011. By Michelle Dahlenburg for StoryCorps.
This broadcast is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Originally aired November 1, 2024 on NPR’s Morning Edition.