Guide dog
Guide dogFlash 90

A blind Israeli marathon runner has raised $6,800 for the Israel Guide Dog Centre by running in the London Marathon.

Unfortunately, runner Avi Solomon had to stop at the 20th mile of the marathon after being knocked over, the UK Jewish News reported.

Solomon, who is blind and is assisted by his guide dog Nike, was on track to finish the marathon in an impressive three hours.

Sadly, he collided with other runners three times and had to be taken by an ambulance to the hospital.

Solomon – a sprinter, long-distance running athlete and Israeli national Goalball team member – made a full recovery.

“He banged his head very seriously, he was taken to hospital by ambulance. We’d like for him to come back and finish it, and he’s said he really wants to come back and finish it,” Martin Segal of Israel Guide Dog Centre UK told the Jewish News.

The money Solomon raised will be put toward a new guide dog for someone in Israel.

“The dogs become their eyes and ears, and Avi has mentioned that since he’s had Nike, his guide dog, his opportunities have blossomed and exploded,” Segal said.

Solomon said that his mission was to create awareness that donations are important to support the visually impaired who need guide dogs.

“I want to shine a light on the fact that some people aren’t independent because they don’t have seeing dogs, and create much more awareness for donations to be able to support those people, like I’m lucky to have,” he told the Jewish News.