Polk County man to run Boston Marathon to give back to medical center that fixed potentially fatal condition

POLK COUNTY, Fla. - In a matter of months, Boston will become the Mecca for serious distance runners. Thirty thousand people are expected to run the Boston marathon this year – including a Polk County man. 

When Justin Laferriere was born, his skull was not able to grow normally because of a problem called craniosynostosis.

"It would have led to severe deformity, physical deformity, possibly paraplegia," Laferriere said.

In the most severe cases, Laferriere said it can be deadly, but the Laferriere family got help at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. Doctors there performed corrective surgery on Laferriere twice, and were successful.

"If I knew the people who performed the surgery by name, I couldn’t thank them enough," he said.

Since he doesn’t, Laferriere plans to thank Tufts in another way. He is going to run in the Boston Marathon, and donate the money he raises to the medical center. His goal is $10,000.

The marathon is going to be held on April 17, 2023.

Laferriere is not the only person who is working to reach that goal. His sister, who is traveling across the country with the Indy group "flipturn," is promoting the cause as well.

"We have exclusive posters," said his sister Amanda Laferriere. "We had a drumhead last night."

Band members are signing the merch which is being raffled off, and any money raised will go into her brother’s fund for Tufts.

Laferriere has done marathons before, but he said this upcoming one is going to be especially moving.

"I have a feeling it is going to be more tears," he said. "Not only happy tears, emotional tears. The gravity of being there on that day, in that city, and being able to give back to Tufts Medical Center for what they have been able to give me."

Anyone wanting to help can visit www.givengain.com and search for Justin Laferriere.