Bank of America Chicago Marathon Honors Top Fundraiser John Nichols

CHICAGO – The Bank of America Chicago Marathon will recognize John Nichols, president of the Chicago-based Disability Resource Group, Inc., as the third recipient of the Richard M. Daley and Maggie Daley Award. The award was established in 2010 to honor the Bank of America Chicago Marathon participant who raised the most funds for charity through the annual world-class event.

Running on behalf of the Spinal Cord Injury Association of Illinois (SCIA), Nichols raised more than $43,000 for a cause that he is inextricably linked to through his own personal triumph over a severe spinal cord injury.

"John Nichols and the SCIA exemplify the true charitable spirit and community connections that are part of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon," said Bank of America Illinois President Tim Maloney. "We are honored to present this distinguished award to John for his efforts in supporting an organization that, like the marathon, helps move Chicago forward."

Nichols' inspiring personal story gives deep meaning to his charitable contributions to the Spinal Cord Injury Association. In 1993, a tragic water skiing accident left him paralyzed from the neck down. Through six years of relentless physical therapy, he reached a level of recovery that less than one percent of all spinal cord injury patients attain. In 2009, the Chicago resident accomplished what many at one time thought was impossible when he finished the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in six hours, nine minutes, and fifty-nine seconds. He has completed the last four Chicago Marathons, recording a personal best 4:32:08 in 2012.

"I am humbled and honored to accept the Bank of America Chicago Marathon's Daley Award," said Nichols. "This award is a culmination of a 20-year celebration as a person with a spinal cord injury and an opportunity for me to pay it forward to others suffering from SCI. There is no greater cause than serving another, and the Chicago Marathon is a great example of how the public, private and charitable sectors can work together to support thousands of individuals contributing to a cause bigger than themselves. Thank you to the Chicago Marathon, Bank of America, the city of Chicago, and to Mayor Daley and his late wife, for being great role models in serving others."

Nichols joins Dr. José Oberholzer, chief of the Division of Transplantation at the University of Illinois Hospital (2011, The Chicago Diabetes Project), and Carl Allegretti, CEO of Deloitte Tax (2010, Children's Memorial Hospital), as a recipient of the prestigious Daley Award. These award-winning fundraisers, along with the combined efforts of the thousands who commit to running for charity each year, have made the Bank of America Chicago Marathon a critical annual fundraiser for hundreds of nonprofit organizations and one of the largest fundraising events in Illinois.

At the 2012 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, the fundraising prowess of Nichols and his teammates at the Spinal Cord Injury Association of Illinois contributed to an event record $15.3 million raised for the benefit of 190 charities. Since the Bank of America Chicago Marathon charity program was officially established in 2002, participants have raised a total of $100 million for local, national and global causes.

"My sincere congratulations go out to John Nichols for his achievement in winning this award, and, more importantly, for the more than $43,000 he raised on behalf of the Spinal Cord Injury Association of Illinois," said Daley. "John is a true inspiration and a leader in the community who works hard every day to make a difference in the lives of those challenged by disabilities. I'd also like to thank Bank of America and the event organizers who make the Bank of America Chicago Marathon an incredible annual tradition in our city – a tradition that has become a critical source of fundraising for the nonprofit community."

Although registration for the 2013 Bank of America Chicago Marathon is sold out, registered runners can still opt to join a charity team at any time by contacting one of the event's affiliated nonprofits, or they can establish their own fundraising page for an organization of their choice by going to www.crowdrise.com/chicagomarathon2013.

For those who still wish to register for the 2013 race, the following three Official-level charities have entries available: American Red Cross, The Chicago Diabetes Project, and Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Go to www.chicagomarathon.com/runforcharity for more details.

Source: Chicago Marathon Date: July 17, 2013