56LAST LAPSoldiering on
Earl Granville, 33, Scranton, Pa.
IntervIew by AllIson PAttIlloA former staff sergeant in the Army, Earl Granville now works for two nonprofits
that help disabled veterans live an active lifestyle: Operation Enduring Warrior and
Oscar Mike. He’s also a public speaker, helping others find their purpose in life and
those who are battling mental adversity. Granville races with the Achilles Freedom
Team as an athlete—because the four-time Boston Marathon finisher lost his leg
in 2008 from an IED blast in Afghanistan. He credits Achilles Freedom Team with
making it possible for him to run, and it’s also how he met his guide, Andi Piscopo, in- After almost nine hours on course during the 2017 Boston Marathon, Granville
inadvertently created the enduring viral image of the race when he carried Piscopo
and the American flag across the finish line.
Was the dramatic finish at the Boston
Marathon something you planned?
There was a little chatter and joking about carrying
her across the line during the race. I had to stop at
a few medical tents because I kept cramping. I told
her I didn’t want to quit even if it meant walking.
Once we turned onto Boylston Street, I knew I had
to run despite the pain. In the heat of the moment,
I picked her up and carried her across the line.What’s all the attention been
like since you finished?
Overwhelming. I had no idea the race was still
being televised. I’ve decided to use the attention
to spread my voice and ideas of battling mental
adversity and bring awareness the best I can. I
hope people see it and get inspired and spread
the inspiration to others.Why have you turned to
running as an amputee?
Some of it was for me to find my purpose again.
Another thing that motivated me was hearing
that my brother was proud of me. I decided to
challenge myself more. I hand-biked the New York
City Marathon in 2010 and Boston in 2014, 2015
and 2016. I’ve done 5Ks, 10Ks and a half marathon.
After I hand-biked Boston in 2016, I waited at the
finish line for two of my buddies on the Achilles
Freedom Team. They both ran and are both
amputees. I never thought I could run a marathon.
Watching them was my inspiration to do it.What’s it like learning to
run with a prosthetic leg?
There’s a lot of trial and error. My other leg is full
of hardware due to the blast too. It was salvaged,but will never be 100 percent. You have to figure
out what the best prosthetic is for you. You get
nervous. You fall. But what do you do when
you fall? You keep on going. You master it.What role has exercise played in
helping you battle your demons?
I feel like what I was struggling with wasn’t just
traumatic stress; it was mental adversity. Two and
a half years after I lost my leg, my twin brother,
Joe, who was also in the Army, committed suicide.
That’s when my downward spiral hit. I learned
that Joe was very proud of how active I’d been
since my injury with things like snowboarding and
ice sled hockey. So I started doing more physical
challenges in honor of my brother. I eventually
realized I wasn’t doing them for Joe. I was doing
them for me. I found my new purpose in life.Mental recovery can be as challenging,
if not more so, than physical recovery.
What was your experience like?
In our life we’re going to deal with adversity,
loss of loved ones, broken hearts, stress, anxiety,
depression. That heavy weight can hold us down.
When I left the military, I lost my purpose. I found
a new one as a public speaker and helping others
find their purpose. Once you find it, make that
purpose your passion. Your purpose may be your
employment to pay bills and provide for your
family; your passion is what you wake up to do
for you. The two shifts people have to make to
go down a more positive path are changing their
attitude and stepping out of their comfort zone.For the complete interview, go to
Competitor.com/lastlapearlPhoto: lynsey noelPhotogrAPhyCM0617_BOB_LAST.indd 56 5/11/17 10:44 AM