ST. GEORGE, Utah — A 65-year-old St. George man battling Alzheimer's disease fulfilled his final wish by crossing the finish line of the St. George Marathon for the 40th time, with the help of his family and hospice care team.

Russell Bennett ran his first St. George Marathon in 1979, right before leaving for a mission to South Korea. He fell in love with the race and went on to complete 39 more marathons over the decades.

"He just fell in love with the St. George Marathon," said Deborah Bennett, Russell's wife.

But Russell's marathon journey became increasingly challenging as his health declined. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2012 and underwent quadruple heart bypass surgery in 2019. Three years ago, he received an early-onset Alzheimer's disease diagnosis.

"He just pushed through i

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