Chelsea Ireland and Lukasz Klosowski’s parents complete NY Marathon
Two Adelaide parents have completed the famous New York marathon in emotional scenes in honour of their murdered children, who were shot dead in the state’s South East.
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Two Adelaide parents have completed the famous New York marathon in honour of their children.
Greg Ireland and Magda Pearce crossed the finish line of the 42.2 kilometre race this morning.
19-year-old Chelsea Ireland and her boyfriend Lukasz Klosowski, also 19, were shot dead near Millicent in the state’s South East in 2020.
Lukasz’s father Pawel Klosowski pleaded guilty and is serving a 34-year jail term for their murders.
Chelsea’s father Greg decided to run the marathon, his first, after learning it was on his daughter’s bucket list.
“It was absolutely awesome, it was more than I expected to be honest,” he said.
“There were definitely moments that I could feel Chelsea was there, as I was getting closer to the finish line it was getting a bit emotional.
“I wore a Team Chelsea cap with the words ‘she believed she could’, that was my motto for the race, and it got me through some of the tough parts.”
Mr Ireland’s wife Debra and daughter Maddie were there to cheer the team on.
“That was emotional seeing them on the course and at the finish line,” Greg said.
Lukasz’s mother Magda Pearce also ran her first marathon, the pair helping to raise more than $105,000 for the Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation.
“On the way to the start line Greg had a texta and wrote on my left arm ‘Chels and Lukasz’ and he drew a little love heart,” she said.
“They were there with me all the time.
“I listened to Lukasz’s Spotify playlist, I just put it on and listened to it on repeat.”
Ms Pearce says she’s relieved the marathon is over.
“I’ve done it but never again,” she says.
“I knew it was going to be hard but it’s never ending.
“I didn’t want the medal, I just wanted my husband and my son.
“I saw Ashley and Ricky in the grandstand, they called my name and that was it, I just cried.”
Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation CEO John Mannion completed the race too, inspired by the pair’s 42.2 kilometre mission.
“They are exceptional people, their drive and their motivation to honour Chelsea has been so inspiring,” he said.
“They can truly say they honoured her wishes by doing this.
“This is a massive emotional achievement for them and to take it to a level like this it’s something that will never be surpassed.”
Mr Mannion says the team was buoyed by the support from strangers along the way.
“The crowds are incredible, I’ve never seen at like it in my whole life,” he said.
“They just line the streets, they’re shouting your name, they’ve got cowbells and megaphones.
“There’s rockbands, music and DJ’s – the whole atmosphere pulls you along.”
Mr Mannion took the first prosthetic feet belonging to London terrorist bombing survivor, Dr Gill Hicks with him to New York.
Ms Hicks, who lost both legs in the London Underground train bombing 19 years ago, lent the feet to the Breakthrough team to symbolise the power of human connection.
The money raised for Breakthrough will be used for research grants focused on young people, eating disorders, depression and indigenous mental health.
Disclaimer: Jess Adamson is a board member of Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation
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