When JC Baltz signed up for a 2013 triathlon with his son Ben, he never imagined the race would change their lives – or touch so many other people's.
"It was pouring cats and dogs and I'm wondering, why are we even doing this?" JC tells PEOPLE of the day he was photographed helping his now 14-year-old son who lost his leg to osteosarcoma in 2008. "I can't always hold his hand, but that day in the rain, I held his hand. I only really assisted him up a hill just to get him going."
Just 6 years old when his leg had to be amputated, Ben received a prosthetic leg one year later, enabling him to run. Since then he's completed at least 10 kids triathlons, and he also plays tennis, table tennis and baseball.
The photo at the race in Marianna, Florida first went viral in 2014 when JC's daughter Rachel submitted it toRunner's World's cover photo contest. But last week the image resurfaced, gaining a new crop of fans.
"That photo of me and him just won't die," says JC, who hears stories from strangers who've either gone through similar situations or who are just inspired by the photo.
"He's touching people all over the world," says, JC. And that includes him. "When I'm out on my run or my bike and I just want to quit, I go, no let's keep going."
JC remembers being blown away by his son when he first received the running leg.
"It was pouring cats and dogs and I'm wondering, why are we even doing this?" JC tells PEOPLE of the day he was photographed helping his now 14-year-old son who lost his leg to osteosarcoma in 2008. "I can't always hold his hand, but that day in the rain, I held his hand. I only really assisted him up a hill just to get him going."
Just 6 years old when his leg had to be amputated, Ben received a prosthetic leg one year later, enabling him to run. Since then he's completed at least 10 kids triathlons, and he also plays tennis, table tennis and baseball.
The photo at the race in Marianna, Florida first went viral in 2014 when JC's daughter Rachel submitted it toRunner's World's cover photo contest. But last week the image resurfaced, gaining a new crop of fans.
"That photo of me and him just won't die," says JC, who hears stories from strangers who've either gone through similar situations or who are just inspired by the photo.
"He's touching people all over the world," says, JC. And that includes him. "When I'm out on my run or my bike and I just want to quit, I go, no let's keep going."
JC remembers being blown away by his son when he first received the running leg.
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