Michelle Gentis and Josh Gentis Hall are the subject of a new documentary, Starting Line, streaming on CBC Gem Aug. 14 and airing on CBC TV at Aug. 15. CBC

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When Josh Gentis Hall was growing up, he didn’t want to hang back and watch his friends and classmates play sports: He wanted to be in the middle of the action.

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Sitting in his wheelchair, he put on the goalie equipment while the other children prepared to play an after-school game of floor hockey. But when the game began, Josh’s mother Michelle Gentis had to remove the equipment and take him away. Both mother and son were in tears.

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“Josh started crying, I started crying, and I thought, I’ve got to find a way for him to get involved in a community sporting event that he can do,” said Gentis. “Something fun, athletic, exciting with other people. And that’s when I thought, you know what? I’ll see what I can do about running with Josh.”

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By then, Gentis had started running marathons. Her decision to include Josh, their struggles, and her fight for his right to participate are the subject of a new documentary, Starting Line: The Team Joshua Story.

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Gentis, now 60, took up running over 20 years ago. In 2006, with her marriage over and the extent of her young son’s disabilities — Josh has a rare brain disorder and significant physical disabilities — becoming apparent, a friend invited her to go running. They began with a few kilometres at a time, partly as an opportunity to talk. She completed her first marathon that year.

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“What I learned through that process was that I was getting fitter, stronger and tougher, both mentally and physically. It was giving me the strength to handle the demands of my life as a single mom with a seriously disabled child.”

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Michelle Gentis and Josh Gentis Hall at the 2026 Sun Run. They are the subject of a new documentary, Starting Line, streaming on CBC Gem Aug. 14 and airing on CBC TV at Aug. 15. Handout courtesy Michelle Gentis. Photo by Handout /Michelle Gentis

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In 2008, inspired by Rick and Dick Hoyt, an American father-and-son team who competed in marathons and triathlons together, she started running with Josh. She pushes him in a custom carbon fibre racing wheelchair. They have run full marathons in Vancouver, Toronto and Chicago. After running races as a duo since 2008, in 2023 they began to run half-marathons and 10-kilometre races with their friends.

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“Growing up, I was often on the sidelines when kids were playing,” said Gentis Hall. “It made me sad that I couldn’t join. Racing has given me the opportunity to be included in something fun and meaningful. Running makes me feel like I belong with a community. I get excited about race day, running with friends, and getting a medal at the end!”

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Outside of the running world, Gentis has continued to push for support and inclusion for her son. When Josh turned 19, she encountered what she calls a “cliff” in services for adults with disabilities.

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“There’s no therapy funding. There’s very little equipment funding — it’s brutal, honestly.”

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She found help in STEPS Forward, the B.C. Initiative for Inclusive Post-Secondary Education. With the program, Josh was able to enrol at Trinity Western University. Last year he graduated with a Certificate of Completion in Media and Communication.