DAYVILLE ---  Feeding off of the continuous cheers and applause of spectators along the race course, Westview Health Care Center employee Tiffany O’Leary, crossed the finish line of the 120th Boston Marathon with a time of 4 hours and 33 seconds, completing a life goal that she actively trained for during the last three years. 

It was an accomplishment that O’Leary will remember for a lifetime; a culmination of years of training coupled with a philanthropic mission. “We are very proud of Tiffany’s accomplishment and her contribution to such a worthy cause,” said David T. Panteleakos, administrator. Representing The Heather Abbott Foundation’s Team Limb-It-Less, O’Leary raised funds totaling more than $8,500 helping bring awareness and financial assistance for customized prosthetics to those affected by traumatic limb loss. 

The Heather Abbott Foundation is a non-profit charity group founded by Heather Abbott, victim of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, who lost her leg from one of the explosions. O’Leary was quick to identify with Abbott’s mission having a friend who, despite having lost a leg at the age of 4, won a gold medal in the Nagano Paralympics. 

She encouraged me to apply for this charity,” O’Leary stated. “To compete not just for myself, but for the benefit of humanity.” O’Leary’s training leading up to the marathon has been evident through her various Facebook statuses. During a February cold snap where most New Englanders are sitting indoors complaining, O’Leary took a selfie after completing a bitter cold run. Her beaming smile is only overshadowed by one of Mother Nature’s unintentional beauty secrets: ice covered eyelashes. 

O'Leary said, “Running provides me the opportunity to honor my body and spirit.. While normally high strung and intense, running lets me release my worries and facilitates a calm state of mind that lingers for days.” The completion of the 2016 Boston Marathon marked a significant milestone for O’Leary that she is extremely proud of. But like the mindset of many competitive athletes, she’s already looking forward to the next strenuous challenge.