Charming, wicked-witted ultra-marathoner John Godinet has only ever had one gear: full speed ahead. But his last race, the one against ALS, brings him face to face with both angels and demons he thought he’d left behind – revealing complexities of love, friendship and an inner strength he never knew he had.
From May through September, our “Summer of John” Film Fundraising Campaign is celebrating the life of the beloved Frederick, MD resident and ultra runner, John Godinet, with both live and online events, a virtual run along the C&O Canal, and more. Please visit www.TailTwisterMovie.com for more information and ways to participate!

John, born and raised in American Samoa, attracted an astonishing variety of “best friends”. Runners whom John had mentored pushed him through his favorite races. Local Lions Club members honored him with the club’s highest award and an exquisite quilt sewn from his running shirts. At the VA care facility in Martinsburg, WV, he bonded with other veterans and charmed the entire nursing staff. As a daytime resident of Daybreak Senior Services, he regaled seniors and staff members with risqué stories and spicy inuendo. American Samoans in the mid-Atlantic all knew and loved him, and his family back home remained fiercely proud of him. His husband, Peter, cared for him 24/7 throughout the pandemic with no relief. His friends, dressed in parkas, managed the Covid threat by chatting on cell phones through double-layered windows. His dogs, Piglet and Ginger, were his confidants. And a veteran documentary filmmaker decided that spending five years with John would be fun and fulfilling!

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