Gulf Shores Runner Finishes New York City Marathon in Memory of Her Late Husband
Samantha Hallum Scott of Gulf Shores ran the New York City Marathon for a lung cancer charity about two weeks after the death of her husband, Casey Scott, who had planned to cheer her on at the finish.
GULF SHORES, Ala. — Samantha Hallum Scott of Gulf Shores crossed the finish line of the New York City Marathon on Nov. 1, about two weeks after the death of her husband, Casey Scott, who had planned to be there cheering her on.
Scott, who signed up to run for the GO2 for Lung Cancer charity team to honor her husband’s fight with the disease, finished the 26.2 miles in more than six hours. “For my sweet Casey,” she said upon finishing.
A race meant to be shared
About a year ago, Casey Scott was being treated for double pneumonia when tests also found lung cancer.
On Oct. 14, he wrote online about the past year’s medical troubles and about his wife’s race, saying she had chosen GO2 for Lung Cancer as her charity to honor what the couple had been through. He said she had talked him into making the trip.
“It’ll be my first time in NYC! I’m not running it, clearly, but I’ll be at the finish line cheering on my girl,” he wrote.
Two days later, on Oct. 16, he went into cardiac arrest as his lungs began to fail. Emergency crews revived him, but he died the following day. He was 48. Known to many as “Flea,” he is survived by his wife and two sons.
Samantha Scott decided to go ahead with the race. Writing from the airport on Oct. 30, she said running was still a way to honor him.
“I never dreamed I’d be crossing that finish line without him there,” she wrote.
Mile 16
The hardest stretch came around mile 16, when she said a knee injury set in.
“Just praying, praying to God,” she said. “And then just asking Casey, ‘You got to give me the strength to finish this. I can’t walk the last 10 miles of this.’”
She said she got that strength and ran the entire way.
A community’s stories
Many along the Alabama Gulf Coast knew Casey Scott through his work for Island Fiber, now Point Broadband, in Orange Beach. According to his obituary, he was also an artist who painted pet portraits through his business, Casey on Canvas. He had recently started a new venture, C Scott Art, and his work had recently been displayed at the Coastal Arts Center of Orange Beach, the obituary says.
Samantha Scott said she is grateful for the support the community has shown since his death, and that it revealed how far his friendships reached.
“It always takes someone passing away for people to share all of their stories,” she said. “I knew he was loved and I knew he was friends with everybody, but I didn’t even realize it was that much.”
