They did it! Mike Nichols and former teacher finish NYC marathon

It's the stuff movies are made of. Mike Nichols, confined to a wheelchair since he was paralyzed playing hockey for the Monroe Township High School Hockey team in 2014, meets the teacher whom he inspires to push him in the New York City marathon. Not only did they accomplish their goal, but they also did it in an incredible time of 3 hours 51 minutes! I couldn't be prouder of my former intern and teacher Joe Rooney.

"I've never been so nervous for an event," Nichols said. "I was actually throwing up the night before from nerves."

Then came the "amazing" race. "The race was surreal," Nichols said. "People rooting for you through all five boroughs, it was an amazing experience."

The two raised over $41,000 for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and are still accepting donations. Nichols is so grateful for his running mate.

"Joe was a beast, I'm not gonna complain when he's running 26 miles and pushing me. Joe made a dream come true to me that I never thought was possible I will be forever grateful for that."

"Pushing my hero was the honor of a lifetime," Joe Rooney said in a post-race message on his personal Facebook page. "I can’t even process the amount of support and love we’ve received. It may take a lifetime to process the impact Mikey has had on all of us. Your encouragement has given us so much resolve- it helped us get through a very trying mile 20 through 26. None of this would have been possible without our support systems of family, friends, and community."

So what's next for the dynamic duo?

"Next we need to get some sleep," said Nichols. "I don't know what's after that. I do know that I won't stop until there's a cure."

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