Danny Wallace Crosses London Marathon Finish Line
April 29th, 2006 by Alan Hylands
Massive well done to former Southampton and Manchester United winger Danny Wallace who completed the 26 mile London Marathon course yesterday after five and a half days.
Ordinarily most punters wouldn’t think this much of a feat for a former professional footballer in his early 40s but Danny Wallace was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1996 and battles with the symptoms of the debilitating disease every day including fatigue, pins and needles in both hands and feet and severe back pain down his right hand side.
Danny was inspired to take part in the London Marathon by former boxer Michael Watson who took six days to complete the Marathon three years ago after battling back from a life threatening coma he fell into following a world title bout with Chris Eubank in 1991.
While Danny will be nursing sore limbs and muscles for a few days he can take great pride in what he has done and the publicity he is bringing to the fight to find a cure for Multiple Sclerosis through the Danny Wallace Foundation he set up in 2005.
All too often we hear stories of professional footballers involved in affairs, loutish behaviour and over indulgence in the “bling” culture their money and fame brings them but for me the real heroes are men like Danny Wallace who have been dealt a difficult hand but get themselves up and won’t let anything stop them from living their lives and trying to help others.
Danny Wallace gets my respect because I know from personal experience the difficulties he faces living with Multiple Sclerosis. When a disease affects your own family then it brings it home to you how lucky the rest of us are.
If you would like to make a donation to the Danny Wallace Foundation or get involved in fundraising please click on this link:
Danny Wallace Foundation Donations and Sponsorship
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May 1st, 2006 at 8:43 pm
I second your thoughts regarding Danny Wallace, this is the first I had heard that he has MS. It goes to show that we are all human and illness is no respecter of who we are and the fame that we may have once enjoyed.
Well done too for Geoff Thomas as well for his fight against cancer.