CELEBRATE EARTH DAY APRIL 22ND


SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2013

VOLUME 7 NO. 16

“DIRECTED AWAY FROM HARM” - Sierra Madrean Tim Osti Finished the Boston 

Marathon Before The Deadly Explosions And Returned Home Saddened, Determined and Grateful

By Susan Henderson

 When Tim Osti challenged the students on Maranatha’s 
Cross Country Team last year, he had no idea that keeping 
his commitment would put him in the midst of one of the 
most heinous acts of violence in this country’s history.

Osti, an avid runner for most of his life, promised the 
Maranatha team that if they beat out their No. 1 rivals, he 
would qualify for, and run in the Boston Marathon this 
year. Well, they won, and he did. Last year he ran the St. 
George Marathon in Utah and narrowly, (by 36 seconds), 
qualified for the Boston Marathon and he was excited. 

Osti had only been to Boston one other time, when as a 
young man in 1985, he and a group of seven friends ran 
from Boston to Los Angeles for charity. This trip was to 
have been somewhat of a reunion and very special. At one 
point, his entire family was planning to travel east to watch 
Tim cross the finish line. At the last minute, however, those 
plans were changed and Tim traveled to Boston alone with 
the encouragement of his family and good friend and fellow 
runner Sharon Pesner. Sharon’s mom lives in the Boston 
area, so Tim had a home away from home.

Osti had run many marathons in the past. He took a hiatus 
from running when he married but picked up the hobby 
again about 10 years ago.

On that fateful morning, Osti 
was ready to go, inspired by his 
nine year old nephew Max who 
has just taken up running as his 
hobby, he welcomed the brisk 
temperature and 26 mile road 
ahead.

He had specific plans for the day, 
he was going to run the race, 
hang around the finish line for 
a while and celebrate his accomplishment. 
He even took enough 
cash with him on the run to buy 
lunch so he could dine near the 
finish line and watch the remaining 
runners as they came in 
without going back to his car.

Osti, 45, ran the race with very good speed. He finished the 
run in 3 hours, 26 minutes and 25 seconds. He finished just 
about 20 minutes before the explosion.

At the time of the blasts, Osti was on the bus on his way 
back to his car at the starting line. He never heard the explosion. 
He was at least 10-15 minutes away. In fact, he 
didn’t know about the tragedy until he got back to his car 
and received a call from his sister. 

“She asked me if I was ok, and not realizing what had happened, 
I said. ‘Yes, just a little tired’. Then she asked me 
again, and I said, ‘well my calves hurt a little’. She realized at 
that point that I didn’t know what had happened. When she 
told me I noticed that my phone was full of messages and 
the magnitude of what happened started to sink in.”

“I wanted to make certain everyone at home knew I was 
okay. I especially wanted to make certain my granddaughters, 
who attend Bethany Christian School in Sierra Madre 
knew I was ok. I called the school to let them know Grandpa 
was ok. I also called my church, (Calvary Christian) because 
I had so many people that had called me or sent me 
messages from there.”

“I don’t know why, but God directed me away 
from that finish line”. Osti said he had every intent 
of hanging around with other runners who 
had completed the run, but all of a sudden he 
just “decided to get on the bus, and I really don’t 
know why. I was directed away from the danger, 
and I am so grateful.” And, while he is happy 
that he escaped harm, he was still very shaken at 
the thought of the fate of those who were innocently 
standing there either as runners or waiting 
for their friends and loved ones to cross the 
line.

Tim was very happy to get back home to his wife 
Ana and family and friends in Sierra Madre on 
Tuesday. On Wednesday, he was back at work in 
the family business, Danny Osti Tree Service. In 
town, Tim is probably best known for the fantastic 
Christmas Display he assembles every year 
on Auburn. 

Is he going back to Boston next year? Definitely. 
“When things like this happen, it takes away 
from our American freedoms. We have to reclaim our freedoms 
otherwise we give them more territory to take.”


Tim Osti (above)was the only entrant from Sierra Madre in the 
Boston Marathon. Below, Tim in 1985 in front of Arnold’s Hardware 
preparing for his cross country run. Right the 1985 Cross Country 


WOMAN’S CLUB FEATURES 
PATH TO BEAUTY TODAY!

 Sierra Madre’s Woman’s Club steps 
out for the 44th year with its Fashion 
Show and Luncheon, Saturday, April 
20th at 11:30 am at Essick House, 550 
W. Sierra Madre Blvd.

Sierra Madre. Melissa Stute is the 
event chair.

 Featured will be Karen Crisol, owner 
of the popular Magnolia Boutique in 
Arcadia. Lunch will be served.

 Tickets are $25. For tickets call Sheila 
Pierce, 626-355-8332.

DR. ROGER JOE TO SPEAK TO SIERRA 
MADRE KIWANIS

 

 On Tuesday at noon, Dr. Roger Joe, DDS will speak on two important 
and timely topics:

MODERN DAY STERILIZATION 

AND

10 REASONS FOR A BETTER SMILE

 

Kiwanis meets at The Lodge (formerly the Mason Lodge) at 33 E. Sierra 
Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre. Ample parking available in the rear of the 
building.

The presentation is free and will begin at 12:30. Lunch begins at noon 
as is $10. Call 626-355-0728 to reserve your seat.

JPL SUSPENDS OPEN HOUSE ..Page 5

This Week’s Highlights: 

Calendar Page 2

Sierra Madre News Page 3

Pasadena/Altadena Page 4

Around San Gabriel Valley Page 5

Looking Up Page 5

Arcadia Page 6

Monrovia/Duarte Page 7

Education and Youth Page 8

Good Food & Drink Page 9

Best Friends Page 10

The Good Life Page 11

Healthy Living Page 12

Arts and Entertainment Page 13

Business Today Page 14

Sports Page 15

Left Turn/Right Turn Page 16

Opinion Page 17

Legal Notices Page 18-21


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