Fergus Falls girl walks Fargo Marathon finish line with her father

Paislee Price crossed the Fargo Marathon finish line in Fargo, North Dakota, on her own two feet and hand-in-hand with her father after doctors once told her parents she would never walk.

The 8-year-old from Fergus Falls finished alongside Andy Price, the father who has spent years pushing her in a jogging stroller during races and training. Valley News Live identified Paislee in its coverage of the moment, which stood out because the finish came after a long road marked by medical doubt and steady family support.

The scene fit inside one of the Upper Midwest’s best-known running events. The Fargo Marathon first was held in 2005, and its 22nd anniversary was scheduled for May 29-30, 2026, with the race centered just outside the Fargodome in Fargo. The lineup included a full marathon, half marathon, 10K and youth run, along with other live events tied to the weekend.

That youth run is built for children 12 and under and gives them the chance to cover the final half-mile or mile of the marathon course. For families watching Paislee’s finish, that detail gave the moment extra weight: the race was designed to bring younger runners into the same course experience that adults chase for a Boston qualifier.

The marathon course is USATF-certified and an official Boston qualifier, making the Fargo event a serious regional draw for runners from Fargo, Moorhead, and surrounding communities, including Fergus Falls families who travel across the state line to take part. For Paislee and Andy Price, though, the day was not about times or placement. It was about a child once told she would never walk crossing the line herself, with her father right beside her.