Police officer who ran marathons to fight pediatric cancer loses battle to cancer
(WISH) — A Massachusetts police officer and father of four who ran marathons to raise money for cancer research lost his own race against cancer.
Wrentham Police Chief Bill McGrath wrote on Facebook, “George knew firsthand how scary it was for him to deal with cancer and imagined it had to be even worse for kids.”
After being diagnosed with medullary thyroid cancer in 2016, Deputy Police Chief George Labonte, 44, decided to dedicate his life to running marathons to help raise money to fight cancer.
But, it wasn’t to fight his own rare and incurable cancer. Labonte focused on pediatric cancer, Wrentham Police Chief Bill McGrath wrote.
“The definition of selflessness.” McGrath wrote.
He ran the Boston and Chicago events, and was doing half-marathons, the Wrentham police department said on Facebook.
“Suddenly, the man with incurable cancer, seemed like the healthiest cop on Wrentham P.D., just living his life his way,” McGrath wrote.
He completed the Boston Marathon in 2021, raising more than $13,000 for the Massachusetts General Hospital pediatric cancer fund, according to the post.
“He harnessed the immeasurable love and support from Katie, the kids, his family and he forged ahead for as long as he could. He roared,” the statement read.
Labonte died Aug. 12.