George Gallego to take part in NYC Marathon using manual wheelchair to save The Axis Project gym
Watch the 2025 TCS NYC Marathon on Sunday starting with the pre-show at 7:00 a.m. on Channel 7
NEW YORK (WABC) -- A man on a mission is taking part in this year's TCS New York City Marathon.
Despite being paralyzed and in a wheelchair since 1992, George Gallego will be fighting every mile of this marathon to make sure people like him have a place they can grow stronger as well.
Gallego is no stranger to the New York City Marathon.
"I believe that I am the only person on Team Inspired that utilizes a manual chair," he said.
As for his favorite portion of the race...
"I don't have a favorite. I love the entire race from beginning to the end," Gallego said. "I know most people complain about the start of Arizona Bridge, but it's not as challenging as most people think. It's the start of the race. You should be, you should have the most amount of energy, stored in your body at the start. But it's the entire course is my favorite, and going through every single borough and it seems like every borough has its own unique way of cheering."
But this year, he will travel through all five boroughs with a very specific cause in mind, his organization called "The Axis Project."
"I founded The Axis Project primarily as a way to be able to bring the disability community together as well as seniors, and to be able to share my experiences as an athlete," he said. "And it's New York City's only completely accessible gym."
But The Axis Project is about to be without a home. The gym's landlord sold the building, ending its lease five years early.
Now, Gallego is on a race against time to find the community a new home in a matter of days.
"So, our goal this year is to raise $250,000 so we can transition to a temporary space. But the ultimate goal is to raise up to $6 million so that we can finally have our own space and never be told that we have to leave our space again," Gallego said.
For Gallego and his community, The Axis Project is much more than just a gym.
It's a place where people with disabilities and senior citizens can feel empowered to be themselves and get stronger.
"I don't look for new members. For folks who have this desire to change their lives, they find us," he said. "And they understand that. And what's great about having a community is, you learn from each other's experiences. You learn from each other's mistakes. You learn not to make the same mistake the other person has made because they've already figured it out. So, you don't have to kind of reinvent the wheel. So, the great thing about community is we all help each other and we all push each other along."
And for Gallego it will be that community that will be pushing and cheering him on, for much more than the 26.2 miles of the New York City Marathon.
"Oh my goodness. That that's the ultimate for me. There's nothing better than then to be able to see someone that you've mentored achieve their goal. You know, that's like I crossed the finish line every single day, that space," he said.
You can help Gallego raise funds here: https://axisdonate.com/2025George
