A couple whose lives were forever changed following a devastating accident, realized their dream today of completing the Boston Marathon route as a team, one week before the official race. The long-time couple, Kaitlyn Kiely, 30 years old, and Matt Wetherbee, 31 years old, began working towards this goal soon after an accident during a pick-up basketball game left Matt paralyzed two years ago. Last year, Kaitlyn suffered severe leg cramping as she ran the official Boston Marathon solo, leaving her eager for a “do over”, and this time, with her teammate. Kaitlyn ran the 26.2 miles, pushing Matt in a racing chair the entire route, to demonstrate that nothing can hold them back.

When the couple missed the deadline to be considered as an “Athletes With Disabilities” duo for the 2018 Boston Marathon, Kaitlyn and Matt teamed up with local company HOTSHOT, manufacturer of the only scientifically proven sports shot to prevent and treat muscle cramping. They joined HOTSHOT, and its team of “Unfinishers”, to raise awareness and funds for local rehabilitation center, Journey Forward. HOTSHOT donated $25,000 to Journey Forward, where Matt rehabs four days a week.

At 9:00 AM, with a police escort and crowds of people cheering, including local professional athletes such as Ray Bourque, the couple began the race at the official Start Line in Hopkinton. Many joined Kaitlyn and Matt to run portions of the race, with the largest crowd jumping in at Heartbreak Hill, accompanying the couple to cross the Finish Line at Copley Square.

“Kaitlyn and Matt are an inspiration to all of us, completing their “Unfinished Business” despite the many hurdles they have had to overcome,” said Ray Bourque.

HOTSHOT launched its “Unfinishers” campaign in March, supporting real athletes, including Kaitlyn, who have unfinished business due to muscle cramping, and encouraging everyday athletes to find a way to complete their goals. For the rest of Team Unfinishers’ stories, please visit Unfinishers.TeamHOTSHOT.com.

The post-race celebration was hosted at KINGS Dining and Entertainment (Back Bay location), where the $25,000 check from HOTSHOT was presented to Journey Forward’s Founder, Dan Cummings.

About HOTSHOT:

Invented by Rod MacKinnon, a Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist and endurance athlete, HOTSHOT® is the sports shot with a kick that is scientifically proven to prevent and treat muscle cramps. A scientific breakthrough in sports nutrition, HOTSHOT is a kick-ass proprietary formulation of organic ingredients designed to help keep an athlete’s nerves and muscles working together in an optimal way and to aid in muscle recovery. MacKinnon and Harvard neurobiology professor Bruce Bean spent several years calibrating this precise formulation of Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) activating ingredients that stimulate TRP ion channels in the mouth, esophagus and stomach and that directly influence and regulate nerve function. Translation? HOTSHOT stops muscle cramps where they start – at the nerve – allowing athletes to push harder, finish stronger and recover faster. HOTSHOT is a non-GMO Project Verified, USDA Certified Organic product that is NSF Certified for Sport®. To learn more, visit TeamHOTSHOT.com. HOTSHOT is a product of Flex Innovation Group LLC, a division of Flex Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq FLKS).

About Journey Forward:

Journey Forward is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to bettering the lives of those with spinal cord injuries or disability. We provide an intense, exercise-based program working to achieve some of the most basic lifelong functions and benefits for our clients. Exercise is important to everyone and even more so for those living with paralysis.