#tbt Marine Corps Marathon

We have many fond memories of the Marine Corps Marathon and on Throwback Thursday, we are excited to share those memories and the amazing road for one marathoner.

Zach Briseño is a native of Fort Worth and joined the Marine Corps in 2004, just after his high school graduation. In 2007, after serving in Okinawa and Fallujah, Iraq, Zach returned to Fallujah as part of a police training team. On November 29, 2007, an IED detonated under the vehicle of his and two other Marines, resulting in the loss of both legs and an injury to his arm. 

While still in recovery, Zach joined Team Hope For The Warriors® and completed the 2008 Marine Corps Marathon on his new handcycle. The last leg of the race route was uphill, so for Zach the finish line could very well have been out of reach. Exhaustion and doubt, however, were no match for his determination. Zach made it up the hill--not by handcycle, but by standing up to walk his uphill battle. The crowd was stunned by the grueling scene of what seemed impossible to someone who was severely injured less than a year prior to the race. For Zach, this was one of many examples of his tenacity and endurance.

Since then, Zach has exemplified the warrior spirit by taking full advantage of these amazing opportunities. After he completed the marathon in 2008, Zach returned with three other Marines in 2009 to guide a blind and double amputee through the Marine Corps Marathon. (Amazing photo above.)

On March 20, Hope For The Warriors® honored Zach with a Hope & Courage Award at our first Got Heart, Give Hope® Celebration in Dallas. His extraordinary attitude leads him and his family to build on new experiences and passions. Zach's top priority is caring for his eight-year-old son, Elijah. He is also newly married just this month. He competes on the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team nationwide and coaches his son’s baseball team. Zach's life is an inspiration to how the human spirit can excel and discover limitless capabilities. 

This is one of many inspiring stories of the Team in the Marine Corps Marathon. You, too, can be part of the Marine Corps Marathon by joining Team Hope For The Warriors®.  Learn more by visiting our Team page.