A crowd gathered by the Johnny Kelley statue early on the morning of March 28 for a ceremony both solemn and joyful — part memorial service, part joyful training run for the upcoming Boston Marathon. They gathered to dedicate a bench to the memory of Susan Hurley, founder of CharityTeams, which for 18 years has helped thousands of runners and other athletes raise over $42 million for nonprofits. Hurley died in November at age 62 from ovarian cancer originally diagnosed in 2022.
Hurley’s former husband, David McGillivray, said the Johnny Kelley statue was Hurley’s favorite spot on the Boston Marathon course because it “represented everything the Boston Marathon stands for — endurance, longevity, determination, the resilience of Boston and always being young at heart.” He said the memorial bench will soon be installed in front of the statue, inviting runners to rest and reflect.
Hurley’s son Max announced the launch of the Susan Hurley Fund, “inspired by her boundless energy, zest for life and encouragement for others.” He and his brother Ryan unveiled drawings of the bench.
Gov. Maura Healey spoke of Hurley’s “unbounded, inspiring …passion and energy” and how “it changes lives every single day …in the ripple effects of the causes you run for.”
Mayor Marc Laredo and Boston Athletic Association President & CEO Jack Fleming also spoke.
As the event concluded, approximately 50 runners boarded buses for Hopkinton for the start of “Hop 21” — a first-of-spring, 21-mile training run — one of many “fun-raising” runs that Hurley had created to help inspire others to help others.
