Gianclaudio Marengo, an Italian runner, who had vanished at the end of the New York City Marathon, has been found alive and well. Marengo, who might have finished the race last, claimed that he wandered in the streets of New York for two days after accidentally losing his map. However, some say Mr. Marengo is not telling the truth.
A police officer found Gianclaudio Marengo, a recovering heroin addict, who disappeared at the end of the New York City Marathon. On Sunday, like thousands of others, Marengo crossed the finish line of the 45th New York Marathon after 4 hours 44 minutes 27 seconds – he was among the last ones to finish the race.
Marengo is an Italian national, who was part of a group of runners who are recovering addicts from San Patrignano, an Italian rehabilitation center. According to a statement issued by the center, by the time Marengo finally crossed the finish line, his group had already returned to the Sleep Inn Hotel in Long Island City, Queens.
The 30-year-old man, who is battling heroin addiction and mental health issues, had a back bag containing a map, subway tickets, and a snack – but he lost it during the race. Mr. Marengo does not speak English and had never been to the Big Apple before and got lost for over 48 hours. Antonio Boschini, 58, who served as a medic for the group, stated that he gave his number 23781 to Marengo after an injury.
It is not known why, but Marengo, who had been training since January, was not registered to run. On Tuesday morning, while Officer Man Yam, 43, was sitting on the No. 2 train, reading an article about a missing runner on his phone, he looked up and saw Marengo right next to him. Yam said:
“I got a seat and, literally, he is sitting across from me. It hit me right away based on his mannerism and what he looked like. His lips were dry and trembling, and he was looking left, looking right, looking left, looking right.He kept turning and looking to the map. He seemed like he was under duress, like he happened to be lost or not knowing where he was going.”
Officer Yam spoke Spanish to the Italian runner, offered him a coffee and a donut before getting him to the Italian Consulate. Mr. Yam added:
“I was just doing what any person, man or woman, whether in my department or not, would do. What mattered the most is he smiled. He realized that he’d been found, he was in good hands. He is certainly a fragile, vulnerable and very emotional person who after years of drug dependency found the chance to recover in San Patrignano.”
Boschini and Marengo have returned to Italy with one incredible story to tell. Marengo claimed he slept at Kennedy International Airport and in a park, but police say they can not find any videos to support his story.
