Myles Kerr ran alongside a nine-year-old boy who asked for his help at a 5K last weekend.
Myles Kerr ran alongside a nine-year-old boy who asked for his help at a 5K last weekend. (Facebook)

Myles Kerr, a 19-year-old Marine, decided to run a 5K race last weekend in boots and carrying a rucksack. When his fellow marines, also running in the race, grew worried, they went back to fetch Kerr, fearing he'd gotten over-exhausted.

Not so. Turned out he was just running alongside a boy that had asked for his help.

Here's the full post from Facebook, which has been shared almost 60,000 times.

For the 5k at the Venetian Festival in Charlevoix, Lcpl Kerr opted to run the event wearing boots and utes and carrying a ruck sack. Several minutes after the other Marines he was with had finished, Lcpl Kerr still had not crossed the line. They feared his extreme level of motivation may have caused him injury and/or fatigue resulting in him dropping out of the race. Moments before they ran back through the course to recover their fellow Marine, Lcpl Kerr came around the last turn along with this small boy. The boy had become separated from those who he had started the race with. He asked Lcpl Kerr, “Sir? Will you please run with me?". Throughout the course, Lcpl Kerr urged him on when the boy wanted to give up and ensured that the boy saw the course to completion where he was reunited with his party. By his unwavering commitment to help those in need through his ability to inspire others by his unequivocal level of motivation, Lcpl Kerr reflected great credit upon himself and was keeping in the highest traditions of the United States Marine Corps.

Kerr later posted on Twitter that the nine-year-old's parents gave him a $100 gift card.