Sad Days at the Shore

The Jersey Shore endurance sport community has lost two leaders this year: Matt McCulley and George Boscarino.

McCulley was the race director of the Sea Isle Tri for our Veterans. He died suddenly in January at the age of 35. (The cause of death was not revealed.) McCulley was more than just a race director; he was a well-known and beloved figure in Sea Isle. He was a friend, too. We spent our summers in the same shore town, and talked a lot about Sea Isle, running, and, of course the triathlon, which I wrote about on the blog back in May. He was a wonderful man who helped raise a lot of money for Jersey Shore veterans. The triathlon will go on this year, in Matt’s memory.

I didn’t know George Boscarino, but I knew of his work. He was vice president of the New Jersey Road Runners Club, and founder of “Bosco’s Buddies,” a non-profit that raised funds and awareness for Hepatitis B, C other liver diseases, much of it through running. Boscarino, who died on February 19 at age 60, contracted hepatitis C as a teenager, but remained active. His Bosco’s Buddies team ran its first marathon in the 2003 New York City marathon. Art Castellano, president of NJRRC and race director for the New Jersey Marathon, says that Bosco’s Buddies still plans to run in this year’s NYC marathon – and many to come.

Most people who decide to run a 5k, compete in a triathlon, or slog through a marathon become enveloped in the endurance-sport community, and a lot of the leaders organize races on a volunteer basis. Both men worked to help others in need, which is why losing them is particularly tragic.