Spencer Levine and Amanda Tam, a Montreal couple married in 2024, are participating in the Montreal Marathon this weekend with Spencer running while pushing Amanda in a specially adapted wheelchair. After Amanda’s ALS diagnosis at age 20, they trained together over 600 kilometers from June to present for the marathon. The event aims to raise awareness and funds for ALS Quebec, highlighting issues of accessibility and advocating for living life fully despite challenges.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-09,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A Montreal couple, Spencer Levine and Amanda Tam, is preparing to participate in the Montreal Marathon this weekend. Tam was diagnosed with ALS years ago while she was a student at McGill University, and despite her condition, they are running together using a specially adapted wheelchair for the 42.2-kilometre course. The idea originated last spring when Levine saw another person participating in an Ironman competition with assistance and thought it would be cool to do something similar.
Since then, they have trained extensively, covering more than 600 kilometres from June until now. They purchased a specialized running wheelchair for the event and plan to continue training together despite the challenges posed by Tam's condition. Dr. Angela Genge, clinical research program director at the McGill Neurological Institute, praised Tam’s remarkable upbeat spirit in the face of her diagnosis.
Written for “Marathon After Als Diagnosis” on 2026-10-09,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
A Montreal couple is preparing to take on the Montreal Marathon together this weekend, years after an ALS diagnosis dramatically changed their lives.
asserted
diagnosis → prepare → lives
Spencer Levine will run the 42.2-kilometre course while pushing his wife, Amanda Tam, in a specially adapted wheelchair.
asserted
Levine → run → wheelchair
The idea came last spring, when Tam went to cheer on Levine at an Ironman competition and the couple saw another person with a disability participating with assistance.
“We actually saw a (person with a disability) being pushed and they were attached to the bike, they were on a kayak for the swimming portion and Spencer thought it would be a cool idea to do the same,” Tam told Global News on Thursday.
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Tam → come → Thursday
The high school sweethearts, who married in 2024, bought a specialized running wheelchair in June and have since trained more than 600 kilometres for the Montreal Marathon.
“We have trained all throughout the summer from June until now,” Levine said.
asserted
Levine → marry → June
“We’ve run 623 kilometres as of today.”
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Tam, a McGill University graduate, was 20 years old when she was diagnosed with ALS.
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she → run → ALS
Dr. Angela Genge, clinical research program director at the McGill Neurological Institute, described Tam as remarkably upbeat.
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Genge → describe → Tam
“She is one of these kids that in another circumstance would have flown,” Genge said.
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Genge → fly → circumstance
The neurodegenerative disease has taken away much of Tam’s autonomy, leaving her reliant on Levine, who is also her primary caregiver.
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who → take → Levine
Claudine Cook, executive director of the Quebec ALS Society, said the couple have become “incredible ambassadors.”
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couple → say → Society
“Having a care partner like Spencer along her side is just … they’ve been really incredible ambassadors,” Cook said.
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Cook → have → side
The couple has been determined to share their experiences, and their marathon effort is also raising money for ALS Quebec.
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effort → share → Quebec
“Just because I was dealt an unlucky hand or the fact that I have a death sentence, I mean, it doesn’t mean that you have to stop living,” Tam said.
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Tam → deal → sentence
Training for the marathon has also given the couple more time together.
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Training → train → time
“As someone who trains 10 to 15 hours a week, having those extra six to 10 hours a week with her is just so meaningful and has made us grow so much closer as a couple,” Levine said.
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Levine → train → couple
But even getting to the starting line at Parc Jean-Drapeau could pose a challenge, with Berri-UQAM Metro station not fully accessible.
uncertain
station → get → challenge
“I love the fact that we have this huge marathon, but if you have a wheelchair category … make it at least accessible to get to,” Tam said.
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Tam → love → category
With 20,000 people expected at the starting line, the couple also wants to avoid traffic.
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couple → expect → traffic
Tam said she uses social media in part to draw attention to accessibility issues in Montreal while encouraging others to continue living their lives despite difficult circumstances.
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she → say → circumstances
“That is also why I have social media, to bring awareness to, I guess, accessibility around the city and to also to keep living life no matter what,” she said.
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she → have → life
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