Brother, Colleagues Of Slain Doctors Running Boston Marathon In Their Honor

BOSTON (CBS) - For Jason Field, it seems like just yesterday, he was celebrating his brother's engagement. "They had a party at their penthouse apartment. And they were planning on having a large wedding...."  Jason stopped talking mid-sentence.  Sadly, we know why that sentence just ends there. Last May, in that same penthouse apartment in South Boston, Dr. Richard Field and his fiancee Dr. Lina Bolanos were murdered.

"My brother was a second father to my children," explained Jason. Richard was a pain management doctor.  Lina was a pediatric anesthesiologist at Mass Eye and Ear.  Both known for their tender touch and thousand-watt personalities.  "She was so charismatic. She just lit up the OR," said Dr. Sara Bowe, a friend and colleague of Lina's.  When Mass Eye and Ear's marathon team started planning for this year they knew they would honor Lina. After all, one of the team's red singlets was supposed to be hers.

In the days after last year's marathon, Lina was at work listening to a colleague talk about the race,  how she ran in years' past and how she loved it.  Well, almost on the spot Lina told her friend, Sara, "I'm in. I'll run it with you next year."  "She kept saying she always wanted to do it," explained Sara. "She was going to do it. Then it slowly turned around to 'Yeah this seems like a good year to do it.'"

Days after that conversation Lina and Richard were gone.  The team then asked Richard's brother, Jason, if he'd like to run with them to raise money for a special mission. A team of Mass Eye and Ear doctors, led by Dr. Chris Hartnick, helping sick kids in Colombia, Lina's native country.  "Next year will be our first year in Colombia, with her family, and with all of our team."  Jason plans to go with the doctors just to soak it in. "Being a doctor was his calling," Jason said, and after a long pause added, "And we are very proud of him."

But first, Jason will honor his brother in 26.2 ways, in his very first marathon.  "He's been helping me in my training. Giving me kicks up the backside when I wanted to stop. He's been there pushing me."  And that's more powerful than any tailwind.

If you'd like to donate to the team and its mission click here.