ASHLAND – A statue of Spencer the golden retrieverthe canine who may at all times be seen greeting Boston Marathon runners alongside the route, is being unveiled in Ashland on Saturday.
For years, Spencer was a fixture alongside the Boston Marathon route. He would stand for hours within the solar or the pouring rain making hundreds of runners smile as they handed by him – many even stopping to say hello.
“We had strains of individuals when Spencer was with us, strains of individuals. Not speaking like three or 4 individuals, it was like 20 individuals deep ready to take an image. They’re stopping the marathon to take an image with Spencer and he cherished each second of it,” mentioned Spencer’s dad, Rich Powers.
Spencer first began carrying a Boston Strong flag after the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013, providing love and encouragement.
“Spencer completely understood what he was doing and he knew he made a distinction and he loved doing it,” mentioned Powers.
His unwavering help on the marathon route continued yearly – even by way of the pandemic – when there weren’t any runners. On social media, Spencer and his sister Penny held indicators, reminding their many followers of the date when the times of lockdown all blended collectively.
“We lifted numerous spirits even once we weren’t bodily capable of do it and he did get lots of people by way of some robust instances,” mentioned Powers.
Spencer was going by way of a troublesome time himself in 2020 when he was recognized with a tumor.
“When he was struggling and I assumed I may lose him. His job wasn’t carried out. He was like, ‘Dad, I’m not going wherever.'”
Spencer beat the percentages and miraculously he was again out on the route the subsequent 12 months, bringing smiles to hundreds of individuals. In 2022, he was named the Official Dog of the Boston Marathon in a ceremony on the Fairmont Copley Plaza. But, Spencer was much more than that. He was a remedy canine who recurrently visited colleges, hospitals and nursing houses. And he turned a logo of hope to others battling most cancers, together with marathon runner, Susan Hurley.
“I wished to carry her spirits and I knew that Spencer’s a remedy canine, she loves dogs so I contacted Rich and mentioned can we do a go to?” mentioned Hurley’s buddy, Trisha Winton. ” So we went over and met Spencer and Penny and the connection and relationship grew from there.”
Sadly, Spencer handed away from most cancers final 12 months. His sister, Pennyadopted him a brief eight days later.
“It’s wonderful how many individuals reached out after he had handed away. I’ve by no means seen something prefer it, how many individuals he affected,” mentioned Powers.
It was Hurley and Winton who instantly got here up with the concept to pay tribute to Spencer with a statue and so they rapidly raised the donations they wanted from group members.
“There’s no canine that might stand on the market like him and he was simply the epitome of what the Boston Marathon stands for,” mentioned Hurley.
They approached native sculptor Jeff Buccacio, who has constructed props for giant motion pictures in Hollywood, however it’s tasks like this that imply essentially the most to him.
“Projects like this are particularly particular for us right here as a result of we’re capable of have an effect on our group,” mentioned Buccacio.
Buccacio and his crew spent months designing, molding and perfecting Spencer’s statue. He gave us the massive reveal at his studio in Canton.
“There’s a crew of artists right here that all of us poured our coronary heart into this as a result of we knew what Spencer meant to so many individuals,” mentioned Buccacio. “Every day we’re confronted with issues in society that divide us and the story of Spencer is one thing that unites us. That’s lovely to us.”
When it got here time to discover a spot for Spencer, the Ashland Select Board denied the request to place the statue on city property. So, residents Robin and Cynthia Eynon Hicks provided up a bit of their very own non-public land proper throughout from the place Spencer at all times stood.
“What he gave to the group and the runners and the keenness and simply the positivity all these years,” mentioned Cynthia Eynon Hicks.
“Just take pleasure in and replicate – sit there and consider what as a human being you would do what this canine did,” mentioned Robin Hicks.
Powers’ two pups, Jimmy and Jade, at the moment are coaching to hold on Spencer’s beloved custom proper alongside his light spirit – perpetually a part of the Boston Marathon.
“He was a logo of hope, unconditional love and it is one thing we must always all try for. He was greater than we ever deserved. Certainly greater than I ever deserved,” mentioned Powers.
