Katie Lynch’s Legacy
21 When describing herself, Katie Lynch liked to use a Latin phrase: Parva sed potens. Small but powerful.
First, the small: She was born with a unique form of dwarfism. At age 26, she stood 28 inches and weighed 35 pounds.
More important, the powerful: Lynch was an honors student at Wayland High, manager of two sports teams, a scene-stealing actor, a tireless dancer in her wheelchair at prom. Surprising everyone at graduation, she asked her friends to lift her from her chair and walked 5 feet across the stage for her diploma. Her brother Wyeth said it was the first time he’d seen her walk in eight years.
Lynch graduated summa cum laude from Regis College, continuing her studies during long stretches in the hospital. She got a job at Boston Children’s Hospital, advocating for sick children and their families who needed help. And she gave motivational speeches. “No one is disabled,” she said, “everyone is just differently abled.”
In 2001, Lynch contacted Marathon race director Dave McGillivray, asking if she could run. Yes, he said. “But,” she added, “my marathon is going to be 26.2 feet.” OK, McGillivray said. When Lynch made up her mind, there was no stopping her.
She trained hard, in 10-foot intervals, and raised more than $20,000 for Children’s. In Hopkinton on the morning of the race, McGillivray marked out 26.2 feet from the starting line. Lynch supported herself on her walker, her two brothers by her side. The crowd counted down “3, 2, 1, go!”
Lynch hoped she’d be able to finish her race in 15 minutes. It took her far less. “I made it,” she said, “and I know everybody else can, too.” As the crowd cheered, she was crowned with a laurel wreath, a Marathon medal draped around her neck.
At the end of every Boston Marathon, McGillivray runs the course himself. This time Lynch was waiting at the finish line, some 12 hours after her race. She gave him a laurel wreath and a medal she’d made.
“Ha!” she said with a smile. “I beat you.” Parva sed potens.
Katie Lynch died in 2002 at age 27. You can remember her as small. But the powerful is what matters.