FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Blind Army Hero to Run Nearly 40 Miles in
Disney Half and Full Marathons This Weekend

After nearly being killed about four years ago during a mortar attack that
left him permanently blind, Army Captain Ivan Castro of Hoboken, NJ will
take on runDisney's biggest test this weekend: Goofy's Race and a Half
Challenge which involves running the Disney Half Marathon on Saturday and
the Disney Marathon on Sunday.

The Purple Heart recipient will tie a two-foot-long string to his guide,
Jeff Bryan, who will lead Castro through both the 13.1-mile Disney Half
Marathon on Saturday and the 26.2-mile Disney Marathon on Sunday for a
total of nearly 40 miles.

Castro, 43, is one of only three blind active duty officers serving in the
Army and the only blind officer in the Army's elite Special Forces unit
(a.k.a. Green Beret), the Army's most specialized experts in unconventional
warfare. In the mortar attack in Iraq, shrapnel caused the loss of his eyes
as well as a collapsed lung, several broken bones and facial damage that
required surgical reconstruction. He nearly died. Yet after 17 months of
rehab, he has recovered enough to run 13 previous marathons, two
triathlons, an ultra triathlon, plus several bike races and other endurance
events.

Following Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, Castro will take part in the
Disneyland Half Marathon, which takes place September 4 (Anaheim, Ca),
which will earn him runDisney's Coast to Coast medal for running signature
runDisney events on the East and West coasts. The date will mark the fifth
anniversary of the mortar attack.

High resolution, broadcast quality B-roll and sound with Captain Ivan
Castro will be available for download and media use by mid-afternoon on
Sunday, January 9.

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