The city of Boston has its guy.
When images of a man shoveling the Boston Marathon finish line during Winter Storm Juno circulated Tuesday on Twitter, people used the hashtag “#WhoShoveledTheFinishLine” to try to find the person responsible for the good deed.
[tweet https://twitter.com/bostonpolice/status/560489686133899265 align=’center’%5D
On Wednesday, nearby restaurant Back Bay Social Club identified him as Christopher Laudani, one of its bartenders.
“I asked him why he needed the shovel, and he said, ‘I’m going to go clear off the marathon finish line if that’s OK with you,’ ” Back Bay Social Club manager Ryan Swann told Boston.com. “He’s run the marathon the last few years, so I told him to go for it. And now his photo is everywhere.”
While some people have been calling Laudani a “hero,” he told Boston Magazine he doesn’t believe he deserves that title simply for shoveling a bit of snow.
“I only did it to send a message,” Laudani said. “… I love the Boston Marathon and everything it stands for. The finish line doesn’t deserve to be covered in snow. I think it’s cool that so many people feel the same way, but I saw the word ‘hero’ being tossed around, and that I don’t like.
“I’m no hero. I’m just a nut who loves the marathon. The real heroes are the people who were out there clearing the streets and sidewalks, the (Boston Police Department) and the (Boston Fire Department), who risk their lives every day to keep people safe.”
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@PhillyIdol1017
