Retired Marine Hank Donigan talks about how running has increased his endurance and helped him overcome PTSD as he prepares for the upcoming Boston Marathon on this week’s episode of Tango Alpha Lima.
Marine Corps veteran Hank Donigan has transformed personal adversity into extraordinary achievement. On Monday, April 21, Donigan, a brain cancer survivor, will complete his 500th marathon at the 2025 Boston Marathon, a testament to his resilience and dedication.
Donigan, who served over 30 years, took a break from his training to appear as this week’s guest on the American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast.
His father served in the Marines during World War II and Korea, which gave Donigan inspiration to follow in his footsteps. “I could tell they were special people. And I wanted to be like them.”
Following his service, he struggled with severe PTSD (having a 90% disability rating) and found running as an outlet to overcome both physical and mental challenges. “I was feeling very lost and listless during that period. It wasn’t fun. It wasn’t enjoyable.”
The first step to his recovery was returning to work at Camp Pendleton, Calif., as a contractor. He now serves as an instructor at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College at Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Then Donigan embraced running.
“I was never a runner until I came into the Marine Corps,” he said, who will finish his 30th Marine Corps Marathon this fall. “The Marine Corps made me a runner. There’s a component of running and fitness that connects to resilience.”
Since 2013, he has partnered with Semper Fi & America’s Fund, raising over $121,000 to support fellow veterans facing similar challenges.
Currently in cancer remission, Donigan discovered he had a golf ball sized tumor on his head during a VA research study. “I had no symptoms whatsoever.”
After the tumor grew 10%, Donigan had it removed in July 2023 and was released within 24 hours. The recovery from surgery barely paused his goal of running a marathon every week. Three weeks post-surgery he completed another marathon, and three weeks later he did three marathons in three days in 95 degree heat.
“My fitness going into the surgery allowed me to recover so quickly. If I was not healthy going in, it would have taken a much bigger toll on my body.”
Looking back, he says, “running and marathon running have taught me how to deal with different challenges in life and balance things in life. Running and marathon running allow me to deal with some of the things I carry from my time in active service.”
Also, co-hosts Stacy Pearsall and Adam Marr chat about:
• A World War II Army veteran who is better known for his comedic work. "It really gave me quite an education,” he said of his service. “If you don't get killed in the Army, you can learn a lot.”
• Enhancing video games through the sense of smell.
• It’s tax day of course.
You can also check out the 300 Tango Alpha Lima podcasts available in both audio and video formats here. You can also download episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify other major podcast-hosting sites. The video version is available at the Legion’s YouTube channel.
- Tango Alpha Lima