Inspired by Jake
Middle aged men get inspired by a stoic teenager to run their first marathon.
Wanaka, Otago
Stoic Otago teenager Jake Berry is inspiring four middle-aged men to run Queenstown Marathon for the first time.
A spinal stroke paralysed the 16-year-old from the waist down in October last year.
A keen mountain biker and skier, being in a wheelchair hasn’t stopped the Wānaka teen from continuing to enjoy the sports, hitting the tracks and slopes on adaptive gear.
The four men, Glen Reid, of Hawke’s Bay, Glen Mitchell, of Northern Southland, Shawn McAvinue, of Dunedin and Simon Johnson, of South Canterbury, will each run 42.2km in Queenstown on November 15.
Any money raised will help Jake realise a dream of competing at domestic and international adaptive sports events.
Shawn McAvinue's involvement (page creator)
We are all friends of Jake's mother, who we meet at university or on our OEs in the 1990s.
Use of funds
To help Jake get to adaptive sports events, ultimately at a sit-ski event in the United States
Latest update
Fundraiser finish line in sight 28 November 2025
A huge thank you to everyone who has contributed to the fundraiser. All of your generosity is greatly appreciated.
Also thank to all of the support crews of the four runners. Marathon training takes time and it can shift some family commitments on to others, so thank you for carrying some extra load, while we were out on the streets.
The biggest thanks to Jake for inspiring us to dig deep on the day and all get across the finish line in our target times.
Here is a story in today's Wānaka Sun about the fundraiser, which closes tomorrow.
Latest donations
Thank you Lois & Hec
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