April 21, 2026
Congratulations to Bob Hall’s REquipment Racers and their devoted trainer, Coach Nikki Higgins, on an inspiring 130th Boston Marathon.
They made it. They each ran 26.2 miles, crested Heartbreak Hill, and collectively raised $160,211 (and counting!) for REquipment, an accomplishment worthy of a marathon as challenging and iconic as Boston’s.
This was a special team dedicated to our equipment reuse cause. Bob Hall’s REquipment Racers trained together, met personal goals, and many crossed the finish line within moments of one another, supporting each other along the way.
Drew Jameisen, whose son uses assistive technology for communication, sent a message over social media at 7 a.m. this morning:
“BOB WE DID IT.”
It’s hard not to choke up reading that. It was always Bob Hall’s plan to attend the marathon and cheer on his inaugural charity team. But Bob passed away just eight days before race day; this was devastating news for those who loved him, the program, and his runners.
Still, the team churned those feelings into yet more determination to make Bob proud.
He may have crossed over, but surely Bob was in Boston yesterday. He was with every wheelchair racer whose career owes much to his bringing the sport to the mainstream and giving disabled athletes the opportunity to be part of great race days around the world.
He was in the alloys of each set of wheels, since his Halls Wheels founded the very concept of the racing chair and impacted wheelchair design for all.
And most of all, he was surely with his REquipment Racers, proud of their dedication and collective accomplishment: over $160,000 raised to help more Massachusetts residents get the equipment they need for home, work, school, and community inclusion, a cause close to his heart.
REquipment is grateful to this team for carrying forward Bob Hall’s legacy with each dollar raised and mile covered, and to Nikki Higgins for her incredible spirit and generous coaching. And of course, we swell with gratitude to the 862 people (and counting!) who donated to our campaign and became a wind to the back of our racers.
Thank you also to our sponsors, Lynn Products, Inc., Not Impossible Labs, and Northeastern University BONES, for helping pay for equipment and a team dinner, and for covering additional expenses that made REquipment’s participation possible.
And most of all, we send this message out into the universe:
Thank you, Bob. You broke barriers for athletes and transformed the experience of disability for individuals around the world. You are sorely missed, and you will never be forgotten.
