Colin Farrell pounded the pavement through city streets to complete the Dublin marathon – all for the sake of his friendship with Emma Fogarty, the longest-surviving person in Ireland with a rare genetic skin disorder.
Farrell, 48, was one of 20,000 runners to compete, but ran as part of the “Team Emma” squad, with the actor pushing her wheelchair for the last four kilometers of the race. Each kilometer represented one decade Fogarty has lived with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).
“Extraordinary, extraordinary,” Farrell described the race to RTÉ News.
Fogarty was diagnosed with EB when she was born. More commonly known as “butterfly skin,” the condition affects one in 50,000 people, according to Cincinnati Children’s.
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The genetic mutation prevents skin from properly forming, and makes skin extremely fragile, which causes wounds and infections.
“The Penguin” star and Fogarty have been friends for more than 15 years after meeting at a charity event, and as part of her 40th birthday celebration, Farrell agreed to run the marathon and push Fogarty in her wheelchair for the last leg of the race.
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“As soon as you turn a corner, there’s hundreds, or a couple of thousand people there. The support out there was incredible because it gave you a little bump, and you would actually, all the guards were saying as well, you go a little bit faster than you should be going.”
Farrell insisted the race only came to be because of Fogarty’s strength.
“It all started with how you found a way to live with EB and live not as a victim of EB,” he said. “As someone who struggles and experiences pain as a result of it, but not as a victim of it.
“Even though you suffer with it, you have a full life that has more pain than should be experienced by any one human being.”
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Before Farrell swooped by to pick up Fogarty, she sent a “massive thank you” to fans on Instagram for all of their well-wishes.
“I’m here waiting for Colin to meet me at the last 4km. He’s moving fast and doing really well,” she said.
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“I’m so excited and extremely emotional. As many of you know, the reason I’ve done this is because I’ve hit the big 4-0 this year, and I wanted to mark it in a huge way. But, it’s you – the public – that’s made it even bigger and more special than ever.”
She added: “Thank you all for your amazing support and donations – in every way. We’re hoping to reach €1 million. Please go to Debra.ie to donate.”
Farrell and Fogarty raised more than $700,000 for charity at the Dublin marathon.
