Imagine you’re about to beat your personal best in a race, but then you see someone who needs help. Would you keep running or stop to help? This tough choice was real for a woman from Boston during a marathon.
Sarah Bohan was running the Chicago Marathon when something unexpected happened. Just five miles from the finish line, she saw something on the sidewalk. Instead of pushing forward, she went to see what it was. She described it as a “white fluffy thing.”
It turned out to be a kitten. Sarah told PEOPLE that the kitten was in bad shape, weighing only about a pound and showing signs of neglect.
“It had marks under its eyes. Its fur was dirty and matted with different stains. The kitten was terrified, especially with all the people running past it,” Sarah explained.
Instead of continuing the race, Sarah picked up the kitten. Her teammate, Gia Nigro, saw what happened and joined her. They walked along the sidelines looking for someone who could take care of the kitten.
“I wasn’t going to run with this cat; that would injure it,” Sarah said. Luckily, two women noticed and offered to help.
Sarah was cautious and asked the women several times if they were sure they could care for the cat. She wanted to make sure the kitten would be safe before handing it over. Once she felt assured, Sarah and Gia continued their marathon.
Their kindness didn’t stop there; they also helped a runner who had fallen.
People who know Sarah weren’t surprised by her actions. She was running for Team Paws Chicago, a non-profit shelter that helps create “No Kill” communities. Sarah said she would have quit the race and taken the kitten to the vet herself if not for the two women who helped.
For Sarah, helping animals comes naturally. “The obligation of human compassion just kind of kicks in instinctually, and I didn’t care about the race at that point,” she told PEOPLE.
In the end, Sarah finished the race in 3:31:35. Although this was far from her personal best, she saved a life, making her run a big success.
What would you have done in her place?