Marathons are massively difficult enterprises for the people who participate, feats of incredible endurance that are accompanied by a staggering physical toll.

Sometimes, the people who train and train are simply unable to finish. That happened on Monday at the Boston Marathon, with a runner falling down just shy of the finish line.

Here, in three images, is what happened next:

Runner falls just short of the finish. Four others pick him up and carry him. I’m literally in tears pic.twitter.com/vb9cjxG6pQ — Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) April 21, 2014

Runner gave out near 26 mile mark, right by the site where 1st bomb went off. 1 guy stopped to help, then another pic.twitter.com/gcwMxpssdK — Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) April 21, 2014

The crowd exploded into loudest cheer I’ve heard today. Walking, then jogging, they all, all 5, finished the race pic.twitter.com/HE4QJnh35L — Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) April 21, 2014

Sigh, fine: People are wonderful sometimes, I guess.

UPDATE: Wesley Lowery has much more here on the story behind these images.