When people talk about the triumph of the human spirit, this is exactly what they mean.

Venezuelan Maickel Melamed, 39, a man with muscular dystrophy, was the last person to complete the Boston Marathon, crossing the finish line after some 20 hours in the driving rain.

“It was tough, the wind, the rain, the distance, the cold, everything today was overcome,” he said,

Melamed, whose life was saved when  he went to Boston Children's Hospital as a child, has finished five marathons in his life, with this one being the last he plans to race.

His efforts did not go unnoticed, either, as a throng of fans stuck out the nasty weather to cheer him on. Melamed also received a finisher's medal from the mayor:

Melamed certainly embraced the enormity of the moment, saying, “For me I’m so grateful for Boston and to Boston this is an amazing city."

If anything, Melamed proved that even though he finished last, he's still a winner.

More From Newstalk 1290