'It's a miracle that we're living': God gives strength to inspirational father-son duo in unexpected way

A father and his disabled son run marathons together.

Jose Manuel Roas Trevino and his wife have four children together. Their fourth child was born with a severe form of cerebral palsy.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Eighteen-year-old Pablo has never been able to speak or walk, and chance are he never will. He is 100 percent dependent on his parent's care.

However, Jose Manuel and his mother, Maite do not see their son as any burden; they see him as a gift.

"I thank God every day for Pablo and for this life story that God is having us experience," expressed Jose Manuel to CNA News. "Because when he was born, a wall certainly was raised up with all the limitations that appeared, because you were presented with a terrible life."

But Jose Manuel and his family find strength in God. "God has given us a complex life story to live, but he also helps us to go forward with it and to do it with hope, with a sense of humor."

He insists his faith in God is stronger because of Pablo.

"Yes, it's precisely because of Pablo that we believe in God because we are living the impossible. We're a normal family that gets into fights every day, and we've got our things...but where Pablo is concerned, our differences end. This is what unites us the most, and so for us, Pablo is a blessing, he's what draws us together."

While Jose Manuel had previously found it difficult to share hobbies with Pablo, the pair now has memories they will cherish forever.

"I don't remember when we began to run together. I know that the first time was in the summer. I was getting ready to go out for a run, but neither my wife nor children could stay to take care of Pablo. So I decided I could take him with me," explained Jose Manuel.

"We were running down a nearby bicycle lane, and he was totally into it, he was laughing, shrieking, lifting up his arms. I was singing to him, and he was laughing more and more. And I realized that what we were experiencing was very special."

The duo took their running further and began running in marathons. So far, they have participated in six marathons. People look at Pablo and Jose Manuel and applaud him. They cheer him on and give him high fives while Pablo lifts his hands up in excitement and laughs along the way.

"It's a miracle that we're living and much more so to be able to share it with him."

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