When Matthew Medeiros of Dartmouth is running the 130th Boston Marathon in less than two weeks, he’s going to be thinking about 14-year-old Vraj Hirapara.

“Sometimes family doesn’t come from the same blood,” Medeiros told 12 News. “Sometimes, it’s the people you meet along the way of your journey in life.”

Boston Children’s Hospital has a program that connects patients with marathon runners who will be making the 26.2 mile trek to raise money and awareness for the hospital and the community it serves. Medeiros and Vraj first met through the program when Medeiros ran the marathon back in 2019.

Vraj has cerebral palsy, seizures and other disabilities, but according to his mom Bhavina Hirapara, her son faces those challenges with strength.

See more at wpri.com.