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St. Pete father competes in St. Anthony's Triathlon to honor late son

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Published  April 27, 2025 2:30pm EDT
St. Petersburg
FOX 13 News
Father honors late son at St. Anthony's Triathlon

Father honors late son at St. Anthony's Triathlon

FOX 13's Regina Gonzalez shares the inspiring story of a St. Pete father who competed in the St. Anthony's Triathlon Sunday two years after his son died.

The Brief

    • A St. Pete father competed in Sunday's St. Anthony's Triathlon to honor his son who passed away two years ago.
    • Kevin McCormack and his son Shane were supposed to compete in this race together.
    • The proceeds from the St. Anthony's triathlon go towards supporting the hospital's health-related programs and services.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla - On the same weekend that marked two years since his son Shane's sudden passing, St. Pete resident Kevin McCormack suited up at the start line of the St. Anthony's Sprint Triathlon on Sunday, wearing bib #3020. 

Those last two digits signified the age Shane would've been when they were supposed to compete in this race together.

A St. Pete father competed in Sunday's St. Anthony's Triathlon to honor his son who passed away two years ago.

"This is unfinished business," McCormack told FOX 13. "It was his idea to do this race. Part of that was for us to be together, and part of it was just continuing his own athleticism. I originally wasn't going to do it with him, but he had a concern about the swimming part, so when I actually agreed to do it with him, our plan was that we'd stick together for the swim portion and then when we got safely to the other side, he was going to go on without me because there was no way I was going to keep up with him!"  

Now, in Shane's honor, Kevin took on the challenge of the nearly half a mile swim, 11-mile bike trek, and 3.1 mile run on his own. He was eager to finish the promise he made after admitting he didn't feel emotionally or physically ready to compete the year after losing his young son.

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"That that first year after he passed was a rough one," McCormack stressed. "But, being able to come out here today in a way, with the motivation to do it for him as well as the lives he's changed, it saved my life too, because I was not in a good place and today, I am, or I'm on my way there anyway."

Big picture view:

Shane ultimately saved the lives of five people by becoming an organ donor.

It's another way for his legacy to live on, and another reason for Kevin to be proud of Shane; although this weekend, Kevin knows Shane would've been proud of him. 

A St. Pete father competed in Sunday's St. Anthony's Triathlon to honor his son who passed away two years ago.

"I definitely think he would've been saying 'Go dad!'" McCormack laughed. 

The proceeds from the St. Anthony's triathlon go towards supporting the hospital's health-related programs and services.

Organizers said this was an extra-special year considering how many patients, staff, and even racers sustained damage during last year's hurricane season. 

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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Regina Gonzalez.

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