A Melbourne Marathon finish became a powerful family milestone when Brisbane runner Nick Morrison pushed his 21-year-old cousin, Toby Holt, around the 42.2-kilometre course before carrying him across the finish line. Morrison completed the challenge alongside thousands of other participants in the 2026 Melbourne Marathon.

But his race had an additional purpose: giving Holt, who lives with juvenile Huntington’s disease, the chance to experience a marathon and helping raise awareness of the rare inherited condition.

Holt, a resident of Wagga Wagga in New South Wales, was diagnosed with juvenile Huntington’s disease four years ago. The progressive neurological disorder affects movement and speech, and there is currently no cure. He uses a wheelchair as his condition affects his mobility.

Morrison, who travelled from Brisbane to take part, said completing the marathon with his cousin was deeply meaningful for their family. He described Holt as an inspiration and said the experience was something they would remember for the rest of their lives.

The final moments of the race were particularly emotional. Morrison stopped just short of the finish line and helped Holt out of his wheelchair. He then carried his cousin over the line so they could complete the final steps together.

Holt said he was excited about participating and surprised when Morrison first offered to push him through the marathon. For his family, the event was another opportunity to create memorable experiences while supporting him through the challenges of his diagnosis.

Holt’s mother, Louise, said she was proud of the love and commitment Morrison had shown. She explained that the family had made a priority of helping Holt enjoy extraordinary experiences since his diagnosis. These have included international travel, extreme sports and skydiving.

The disease has also affected Holt’s father, Stephen, who has Huntington’s disease. Louise described the emotional difficulty of watching the condition affect both her husband and son, even though their experiences differ.

The marathon effort also supported a fundraising campaign for Huntington’s Australia, the national organisation providing services and support to people and families affected by the condition. The pair had raised more than $4,000 for research and support at the time of publication.

More than 20,000 runners took part in the Melbourne Marathon event over the weekend. Morrison said he hoped the experience would encourage greater awareness of Huntington’s disease and help raise funds for future research.

For the cousins, the achievement was about more than finishing a long-distance race. It was an opportunity to celebrate family, determination and making the most of time together.