Checking in with Liana & Gracie, still bonded by act of cross country kindness

In 2016 Liana Blomgren was disqualified from her last high school cross country race after helping struggling competitor Gracie Bucher cross the finish line.
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[@BobBobby-ew3du]

Im a grown man with six daughters, but i cried like a baby . That how champion are made

[@AmishHitman73.Archive]

i cried too

[@leaht.907]

You mean I wasn’t the only one reaching for the tissues?. 😄💕

[@ravenszulewski9768]

I don't even know these girls but the both are hero's in my eyes!! Because leanna not only kept getting up but finished the race! Gracie is also a hero because she willingly got disqualified for someone she didn't even know!!! Great job ladies!!

[@mihkhailgaudette4370]

Rules are one thing to consider in a race. But, what is in the heart is much more important. These young ladies did it right. And, have handled the follow up with dignity and grace. Glad school officials reconsidered the rules and Got it Right this time. Keep in touch, ladies!

[@adamsons2890]

This made me cry. I’m a 61 year old dad. Retired. I haven’t cried in a long time. This is beautiful

[@patfromamboy]

I’m also a 61 year old retired dad! Did you work for a power company too? Keep up the good work. I also cried. It’s nice to see someone help when no one else was.

[@Travisvader22]

Wow! I'm proud of her for helping that injured girl rules are made to be broken

[@nilsnilsen-g2d]

not injured.exhausted

[@kellyanderson7624]

@@nilsnilsen-g2d She had mono

[@alexandersinclair9006]

​@@nilsnilsen-g2duseless comment.

[@racerd9669]

It is so very hard to believe their is only 1 comment on here. THIS IS WHAT TRUE SPORTSMANSHIP IS ALL ABOUT. Learn from these 2 young ladies world.

[@timcanfield4294]

Now that's sportsmanship at its finest

[@joyfulautisticjesusfreak1997]

She did what she needed to do, helping someone who needed help, if rules mean leaving someone else in trouble, it’s NOT okay!

[@glennbrymer4065]

Salute to both the young heros.

[@robertpalatsky5017]

So cool that they were able to form a bound from this. So many times you see someone do a nice thing for someone then they never cross paths again. Regardless, you never know the impact you can have on someone's life or the impact they can have on yours. ALWAYS HELP OUT WHERE YOU CAN.

[@teresacorley7874]

So proud of you guys what beautiful sportsmanship 6:48

[@keving1198]

I think it was disgusting how all the parents just stood there saying don't touch her. All the parents and the race officials should be extremely ashamed, but I know they aren't as they all showed their true colors that day.

[@traviskalmoni]

The fact that everyone but her passed her and didn't help as well as the fact that the school is only concerned about the sports rules is deplorable...😢😢😢

[@philipowen3370]

Totally agree

[@joyfulautisticjesusfreak1997]

When school rules justify selfishness….😡

[@steviegr36]

Crying.. God Bless the 2 of you. We are our Brothers(and sisters) keepers. Humanity. What a beautiful thing.

[@courtney9213]

This ❤ brought tears to my eyes

[@theresa1305]

Brought tears to my eyes.

[@lydialutz]

You can't touch her?!? It looks like a medical emergency. I would be calling 911 and rushing out to her!? Am I wrong?

[@WheelzGaming88]

There needs to be exceptions to the rule when traumatic events occur! 🤷‍♂️ Edit: Apparently the rules were changed and I'm glad to see it! 💯

[@lydialutz]

absolutely. looked like a medical emergency to me. I can't even imagine being an adult yelling to not touch her?? I'd be like HELP! Call 9-1-1! Wow.

[@richardhemenway7528]

Congratulations to you both ❤

[@MarinaMacAdam-yp1eh]

I did xc people would cheat on the course all the time but when you see someone in pain someone should of done something instead bc this senior was disqualified and its sad but its a heartwarming story that she didnt care and knew she needed to help

[@maryanderson1155]

Goes to show winning isn't everything.... God Bless these young women!

[@lukasstronghood2692]

there are really angels here on earth....❤

[@paullopez6620]

While I would been crazy with worry, but i also be immensely proud that she was refuses to give up. I suggest changing the rules allowing other runners to help.

[@SJHFoto]

I'm a youth sports photographer. I don't shoot many races anymore because I've seen too many kids collapse/vomit at the finish line. It is sickening that kids are pushed like this in my opinion. (A fun race is one thing, but this is too much)

[@philipowen3370]

Rule or not as a parent I would not watch my daughter struggle like that she was obviously in distress absolutely disgusted at the parents more interested in not being disqualified than there daughters wellbeing 😡

[@MHester-m3f]

Liana and Gracie were disqualified, but they will be remembered longer than those who won. Am not saying those who finished did anything wrong, but their story does lift spirits. God love all of these girls.

[@extanegautham8950]

yes you can touch her!!! she will not win the race, but she might have her life saved....exactly the kind of rule made to be broken. i would have...

[@mortaak181]

HOW HAS NOBODY ADDRESSED THE FACT THAT THIS GUY IS USING 2 LAPTOPS TO HAVE A SINGLE ZOOM CALL

[@marysaade4343]

Love ur stories ❤

[@Pam-qm8sp]

Great job sweetheart. God bless you

[@lelandrummel868]

To quote a certain pirate, “rules are merely guidelines.”

[@extanegautham8950]

ffs! she is not winning the race anyway. let her be disqualified...what if she were having a stroke?????

[@lancefrye2554]

As someone who recently graduated from high school and ran cross country when I was in high school, I understand and agree with the rule that there can be no outside interference of any kind, regardless of if someone is helping a racer or impairing them. Whether I agree with this in the case of someone who's clearly injured to the point that Gracie was gets a little fuzzy, but I understand the rule in general; but someone who's also in the race can't help? That has to be the stupidest cross country rule that I've ever heard. I don't see any reason why those two needed to be disqualified. Edit: After watching the rest of the video (I had to stop watching halfway through because I had something to do) I now know that they changed the rule to where if this scenario happened again, only one of them would be disqualified. I think that this is a step in the right direction, but I also think that if they want to go even further in the right direction that they should change the rule to where if this scenario happened again, neither of them would be disqualified. I said it once and I'll say it again, I don't see any reason why those two needed to be disqualified. I will say though, with it in mind that the rule change was implemented after this scenario happened, I'm curious to know if Leanna (sorry if I spelled that wrong) was requalified and put back into the results of the race.

[@darylgardner509]

I would have disqualified my child. That is not worth it. You never know what the issue was. Idiotic to leave that child like that.

[@KGI_KlikoNL]

Indeed, also my opinion. Could have ended terrible.

[@jonblaze2091]

God will bless you both

[@carolineduff-riddell8109]

I'm sorry, as a mother at that stage you walk in and take your child out of the race to the nearest doctor. I am appalled at all the adults who showed less sense, responsibility & compassion than the young woman who helped her.

[@darrelnelson1395]

I have a daughter but what gets to me most is that not a person there except that one young runner from the other team that came to help. I have to ask everyone? What if what happened to that young girl if she was suffering a medical event; such as a heart event; and not even one person went into to assist her.

[@philipowen3370]

100% agree discusted at the parents

[@pandithammultilingualcompu1552]

Awesome 🎉

[@wessey1000]

The coaches, the trainers, and the parents of this girl should be ashamed of themselves! The fact that it took that long for somebody to come and help her!

[@mrtelevision]

Why should her mother be ashamed of herself? She wanted someone to go out and help her daughter. It's not like she wanted to see her suffer.

[@Bunkerdwarfputin]

Right? If that was MY kid, FVCK the rules! For all I know, she could be about to have cardiac arrest or something... and I'm no doctor, so I'll presume the worst case scenario and go from there. I would NEVER allow a fvcking "rule" or a bunch of idiotic spectators to stop me from going to my child when she's in obvious physical distress. Fvck those spectators, fvck those coaches and fvck those rules.

[@ralphbranham8663]

Amazing 😊😊😊

[@fredgrow2608]

OMG beautiful 🙏💕

[@jeremywilson5872]

Beautiful and wonderful story. That is so wrong by the rules book that rule should be changed and whoever made that stupid rule should be sued. It could have been a serious condition the school board needs to change the rule.😢😢😢😢😢❤

[@chriskay1449]

It's not a rule that the school board can change. It is the rule of the national body that governs high school cross country,. There are good reasons for the rule as it can be abused if it is completely legal. The governing body needs to modify, not remove it.

[@JohnPatco]

Champion runner.

[@tblcville]

Broke the rules I mean if you want to help somebody helping will slow u down so there is no unfair advantage. Shoulda been allowed

[@MissLibertarian]

It all depends on who you are competing with. If finishing is your goal (whatever it may have been when you started), who cares if you're "disqualified"? Sports is for life, not trophies.

[@craighanson-rc1md]

Its that way in most sports even now & even after many famous tails of players coming to the aid of troubled participants. Several stories of similar heroics in women's softball being examples & yet the rules stay the same. So much for promoting sportsmanship & I get the crowd yelling "you can't touch" but at some point after all her falls it's clear she's in a lot of trouble & you just have to help. She fell 5 times & people were still trying to prevent help what a joke.

[@kimwaddell4218]

Sportsmanship no doubt

[@scarboroughjames7]

Both young ladies are gorgeous.

[@craighanson-rc1md]

Ironic that sports is suppose to promote bonding & sportsmanship etc & yet you see a person in clear trouble & you can't do anything to help that's so bloody stupid. Seriously a stupid rule. I'm glad it wasn't something serious that suddenly showed up during the race like say cancer or something like a sudden hole in the heart or something that might have been there or just happened that the running added to & thus resulted in her clear struggle. I get that people from the grow or the team coaches can't do anything to help without some sort of punishment. I also get that this wasn't necessarily life threatening though it could have been but it could have been. Imagine if the synchronized swimmer (Anita Alvarez) who passed out during her routine in the pool & sunk to the bottom didn't have her two coaches jump in to help her because they "didn't want her to be disqualified" & she ended up drowning what then. Sometimes you have to break a few rules for the better good especially when it might save a life. And that episode clearly was not a typical trip & fall or body shut down during a race nor was it just a normal cramp or something.

[@rexross7086]

An undiagnosed case of what?? I played this twice and could not catch what he said

[@flj7]

I think he said Mono.

[@KGI_KlikoNL]

So a teen collapsing for reasons others not know (yet) and then all looking and doing nothing. Could have gone really bad. And who is then responsible if she died? Lucky it not came to that.

[@ashaqhussain6902]

Why did mum not break the rule?

[@bartman9400]

Rules F the rules. This girl did what the teachers should really have done. It’s the most stupid idiotic rule ever. To me that looked like a big medical issue and who knows could even be fatal. So yeah screw the rules.

[@morrisanderson818]

What a pathetic rule, I'm sad all those girl's just ran by, without thinking of helping, they could have gotten her to the finish line,and help, winner's aren't the one's who finished first,its the one's who helped,

[@rivkaclifford427]

Break the rules, change a life.

[@beachbayareajr455]

I don’t care if it’s a rule or not if that’s my family I’m going to do everything I can cause you never know what happened if she had a heart attack and they tell you can’t go and she dies. Then you can sue the school I guess they don’t believe in sin medical

[@Romans8vs28]

Kinda funny how doing unto others which is what should have been taught disqualified two runners

[@tomprosser8958]

Disqualify the bigot officials

[@chriskay1449]

FOr what? The enforced the rules. Don't go after the innocents to enforced the rules. Go after those who created the rules to modify them.

[@alexandersinclair9006]

​@@chriskay1449same people so your indignation is BS.

[@chriskay1449]

@@alexandersinclair9006 NO it isn't the same people. The people who enforce the laws are not the ones who make it. Your ignorance is showing.

[@adamsons2890]

Beautiful

[@jamescorry63]

the rules are there to be broken , sometimes , they need breaking ,,, good work on people realising that some changes , even changes with rules , sometimes need a little tweaking .