Myrtle Beach Marathon founder dies

Tom Gardiner, one of the founders of the Myrtle Beach Marathon, died early this morning at an area hospital.

The marathon has raised more than $1 million for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Gardiner contracted myeloma, cancer of the bone marrow, in 2007 at age 49.

Longtime friend and marathon partner Shaun Walsh said he received an update saying Gardiner died at 4:45 a.m.

"We'd been getting updates almost daily from his wife, Mary Beth, and she told us the nurses in ICU had nicknamed him 'The Bull,'" Walsh said. "This was the first year he had missed the marathon."

Marathon promoter Mike Shank said Gardiner was always upbeat and positive, even through his battle with leukemia.

"He never gave up," Shank said. "He was always positive he was going to beat it."

Besides the leukemia society, Gardiner helped a number of charities by fundraising or through his sports memorabilia business. Walsh said Gardiner would collect memorabilia and let charities auction items off and keep the proceeds.

"He touched a lot of lives, a lot of people," Walsh said. "He was one of the good guys at the beach."

Gardiner is survived by his wife, Mary Beth, who is the assistant principal at Myrtle Beach Primary School, a daughter and a son.

To learn more about Gardiner, read Friday's edition of The Sun News.