High School Senior ‘Was Just Running Along’ During Race When Things ‘Instantly’ Changed

Sometimes you don't need to cross the finish line first to come out a winner.

That was the case last Saturday, when hundreds of runners competed in a Minnesota cross-country competition.

"I was past the 2-mile mark, I was right around the corner from the finish line,"  Danielle Lenoue recalled to WDAY-TV.

Tragedy then struck the Fargo South runner.

"It happened instantly, like I was just running along and felt like a little pop in my knee and down I went," Lenoue she said.

[sharequote align="center"]"It happened instantly..."[/sharequote]

Her leg buckled and she tumbled to the ground. That's when Devils Lake senior Melanie Bailey entered the picture.

"It was that fast," Lenoue told WDAY. " I was just sobbing and everything so I just started walking and I stopped cause I couldn't go any farther and all of a sudden this girl comes up and she grabs my arm and she said 'here come on.' and we just started walking and couldn't walk at all. And she was just like 'this isn't working' and so she said 'here hop on my back.' and she bent down, picked me up, she's like half my size."

"All I could think about was that she was in a lot of pain. And I wanted to help her," Bailey added.

Devils Lake senior Malanie Bailey carries Fargo South runner Danielle Lenoue after she hurt her knee. (Image source: WDAY-TV)

Despite failing to win the race, Bailey told WDAY that she was wholly satisfied with the way she capped off the season.

"Honestly, I loved the way I ended it, it was a really good way to end my cross country season," she said.

Since the moment of compassion, the two high schoolers have kept in contact over Facebook.

"It was pretty cool. It was a very touching moment for myself, I guess," Lenoue said.

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