Stylianos Kyriakides

The youngest of five children, born prematurely,[1] he left home to find work and help his poor farming family.

According to a newspaper report[citation needed], he was running with Johnny Kelley near the end, when an old man shouted from the crowd, 'For Greece, for your children!

It was commissioned by the Hopkinton Athletic Association and was dedicated in 2006 to mark the 60th anniversary of Kyriakides' victory in the 1946 race.

'The winner of the 50th Boston Marathon, Kyriakides used his victory as a call to action to aid his war and famine-ravaged homeland.

He was emaciated from the lack of food in war-ravaged Greece, and at one point was told by doctors in Boston he wouldn't be allowed to run because they were afraid he would die in the streets.

That backdrop only added to the almost mythic race performance, in which Kyriakides came on at the end to defeat the defending champion and set the best time in the world for 1946.

Nearly a million people greeted him on his return to Athens in May 1946, when he came back with boat loads of food, medicine, clothing and other essentials donated by Americans who read of his victory.

As his victory raised sympathy from Americans and Greeks, he eventually managed to reach an amount of 250.000 Dollars while the Livanos family sent two ships with basic necessities (food, clothing and medicine).

Then, a formal ceremony was held at the Temple of Zeus, where Kyriakides stating 'I am proud to be Greek', which moved the crowd.

He has also been honored for his contribution from the municipalities of Athens, Piraeus, Filothei, Patras, as well as the Governor of Massachusetts, the Olympic Committee of USA, and others.