Memphis Shines as Thousands Unite for St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend

MEMPHIS, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 6, 2025--

The spirit of Memphis was on full display this weekend as tens of thousands of runners, patient families, doctors, researchers, support staff, and volunteers came together for the 2025 St. Jude Memphis Marathon ® Weekend presented by Juice Plus+ ®. In its 24th year, the event raised nearly $16 million , transforming the city into a celebration of courage, community and hope, all to benefit the lifesaving mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital ®.

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From the electric start line to the emotional stretch through the St. Jude campus, where patient families and staff lined the sidewalks with handmade signs and cheered on participants, every mile reflected the soul of Memphis: a city that lifts others up.

The race delivered strong performances across every distance. Full marathon winners Jordon English of Kansas City, Mo., and Julia Ray of Knoxville, Tenn., crossed the finish line with times of 2:28:03 and 2:51:12, respectively.

In the half marathon, Tal Old of Collierville, Tenn., secured the top male spot with a time of 1:21:10, while Madisyn Dominy of Chattanooga, Tenn., led the female field, finishing in 1:19:51. The 10K race featured William Pressler of Germantown, Tenn., as the top male finisher with a time of 34:42, and Sadie Smith of Kirkwood, Mo., as the top female finisher with a time of 38:48. Rounding out the weekend’s events, runners Oliver Rigg and Grace Gosline dominated the 5K, finishing in 16:31 and 20:22, respectively.

The weekend’s impact extended beyond the course, generating an estimated $45 million in economic benefit for Memphis and spotlighting the city through a nationwide livestream in partnership with FloSports and Gray Media.

“Each year, this weekend reminds us of both our responsibility and our opportunity,” said Ike Anand, president and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude. “The dedication on display today strengthens St. Jude and accelerates the breakthroughs still ahead. I’m grateful to every runner, volunteer, partner, and supporter who made this day powerful. Together, we are giving more children the chance to grow up and become long term survivors.”

The event also honored Mike Soileau with the 2025 Hero Among Us Award, recognizing his extraordinary leadership and unwavering commitment to the St. Jude mission. Through his efforts founding and growing FUNraisers for St. Jude, Mike has inspired hundreds of supporters and fundraisers, making a profound impact for St. Jude families.

To learn more or join the mission, visit stjude.org/marathon.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital ®

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children. ® It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. When St. Jude opened in 1962, childhood cancer was largely considered incurable. Since then, St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate from 20% to more than 80% in the U.S., and it won't stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude shares the breakthroughs it makes to help doctors and researchers at local hospitals and cancer centers around the world improve the quality of treatment and care for even more children. Because of generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, so they can focus on helping their child live. Visit St. Jude Inspire to discover powerful St. Jude stories of hope, strength, love and kindness. Support the St. Jude mission by donating at stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following St. Jude on X, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok, and subscribing to its YouTube channel.

During the 2025 St. Jude Memphis Marathon® Weekend presented by Juice Plus+, Mike Soileau was honored with the 2025 Hero Among Us Award, recognizing his extraordinary leadership and unwavering commitment to the St. Jude mission. Through his efforts founding and growing FUNraisers for St. Jude, Mike has inspired hundreds of supporters and fundraisers, making a profound impact for St. Jude families.

It takes more than 4,000 volunteers to make the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend presented by Juice Plus+ possible. On Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn., more than 22,000 participants representing all 50 states and more than 97 countries, including more than 1,200 patient family members, are taking part in the event. Since its inception, the St. Jude Memphis Marathon has raised more than $154 million for the lifesaving mission of St. Jude.

Supporters of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital participate in the 2025 St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend presented by Juice Plus+ on Saturday, December 6, 2025 in Memphis, Tenn. More than 22,000 participants representing all 50 states and more than 97 countries, including more than 1,200 patient family members are participating in the event. Since its inception, the St. Jude Memphis Marathon has raised more than $154 million for the life-saving mission of St. Jude.

Supporters of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital participate in the 2025 St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend presented by Juice Plus+ on Saturday, December 6, 2025 in Memphis, Tenn. More than 22,000 participants representing all 50 states and more than 97 countries, including more than 1,200 patient family members are participating in the event. Since its inception, the St. Jude Memphis Marathon has raised more than $154 million for the life-saving mission of St. Jude.

Supporters of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital participate in the 2025 St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend presented by Juice Plus+ on Saturday, December 6, 2025 in Memphis, Tenn. More than 22,000 participants representing all 50 states and more than 97 countries, including more than 1,200 patient family members are participating in the event. Since its inception, the St. Jude Memphis Marathon has raised more than $154 million for the life-saving mission of St. Jude.

John, the father of a St. Jude patient, pauses with a photo of his son, Hunter. He carries Hunter’s memory with him each St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend and is an active fundraiser through the St. Jude Heroes program.

The 2025 St. Jude Memphis Marathon® Weekend presented by Juice Plus+® delivered strong performances across every distance. Full marathon winners Jordon English of Kansas City, Mo., and Julia Ray of Knoxville, Tenn., crossed the finish line with times of 2:28:03 and 2:51:12, respectively.

Supporters of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital participate in the 2025 St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend presented by Juice Plus+ on Saturday, December 6, 2025 in Memphis, Tenn. More than 22,000 participants representing all 50 states and more than 97 countries, including more than 1,200 patient family members are participating in the event. Since its inception, the St. Jude Memphis Marathon has raised more than $154 million for the life-saving mission of St. Jude.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Saturday presented the 2025 Kennedy Center honorees with their medals during a ceremony in the Oval Office, hailing the slate of artists he was deeply involved in choosing as “perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class” ever assembled.

This year's recipients are actor Sylvester Stallone, singers Gloria Gaynor and George Strait, the rock band Kiss and actor-singer Michael Crawford.

Trump said they are a group of “incredible people” who represent the “very best in American arts and culture” and that, “I know most of them and I've been a fan of all of them.”

“This is a group of icons whose work and accomplishments have inspired, uplifted and unified millions and millions of Americans,” said a tuxedo-clad Trump. "This is perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center Honorees ever assembled.”

Trump ignored the Kennedy Center and its premier awards program during his first term as president. But the Republican has instituted a series of changes since returning to office in January, most notably ousting its board of trustees and replacing them with GOP supporters who voted him in as chairman of the board.

Trump also has criticized the center's programming and its physical appearance, and has vowed to overhaul both.

The president placed around each honoree's neck a new medal that was designed, created and donated by jeweler Tiffany & Co., according to the Kennedy Center and Trump.

It's a gold disc etched on one side with the Kennedy Center's image and rainbow colors. The honoree's name appears on the reverse side with the date of the ceremony. The medallion hangs from a navy blue ribbon and replaces a large rainbow ribbon decorated with three gold plates that rested on the honoree's shoulders and chest and had been used since the first honors program in 1978.

Strait, wearing a cowboy hat, was first to receive his medal. When the country singer started to take off the hat, Trump said, “If you want to leave it on, you can. I think we can get it through.” But Strait took it off.

The president said Crawford was a “great star of Broadway” for his lead role in the long-running “Phantom of the Opera.” Of Gaynor, he said, “We have the disco queen, and she was indeed, and nobody did it like Gloria Gaynor.”

Trump was effusive about his friend Stallone, calling him a “wonderful” and “spectacular” person and “one of the true, great movie stars” and "one of the great legends."

Kiss is an “incredible rock band," he said.

Songs by honorees Gaynor and Kiss played in the Rose Garden just outside the Oval Office as members of the White House press corps waited nearby for Trump to begin the ceremony.

The president president said in August that he was “about 98% involved” in choosing the 2025 honorees when he personally announced them at the Kennedy Center, the first slate chosen under his leadership. The honorees traditionally had been announced by press release.

It was unclear how they were chosen. Before Trump, it fell to a bipartisan selection committee.

“These are among the greatest artists, actors and performers of their generation. The greatest that we’ve seen,” Trump said. “We can hardly imagine the country music phenomena without its king of country, or American disco without its first lady, or Broadway without its phantom — and that was a phantom, let me tell you — or rock and roll without its hottest band in the world, and that’s what they are, or Hollywood without one of its greatest visionaries."

“Each of you has made an indelible mark on American life and together you have defined entire genres and set new standards for the performing arts,” Trump said.

Trump also attended an annual State Department dinner for the honorees on Saturday. In years past, the honorees received their medallions there but Trump moved the ceremony to the White House.

Meanwhile, the glitzy Kennedy Center Honors program and its series of tribute speeches and performances for each recipient is set to be taped on Sunday at the performing arts center for broadcast later in December on CBS and Paramount+. Trump is to attend the program for the first time as president, accompanied by his wife, first lady Melania Trump.

The president said in August that he had agreed to host the show, and he seemed to confirm on Saturday that he would do so, predicting that the broadcast would garner its highest ratings ever as a result. Presidents traditionally attend the program and sit with the honorees in the audience. None has ever served as host.

He said he looked forward to Sunday's celebration.

“It’s going to be something that I believe, and I’m going to make a prediction: this will be the highest-rated show that they’ve ever done and they’ve gotten some pretty good ratings, but there’s nothing like what’s going to happen tomorrow night,” Trump said.

The president also swiped at late-night TV show host Jimmy Kimmel, whose program was briefly suspended earlier this year by ABC following criticism of his comments related to the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September.

Kimmel and Trump are sharp critics of each other, with the president regularly deriding Kimmel's talent as a host. Kimmel has hosted the Primetime Emmy Awards and the Academy Award multiple times.

Trump said he should be able to outdo Kimmel.

“I've watched some of the people that host. Jimmy Kimmel was horrible,” Trump said. “If I can't beat out Jimmy Kimmel in terms of talent, then I don't think I should be president.”

President Donald Trump, left, presents Sylvester Stallone with his Kennedy Center Honors medal in the Oval Office of the White House, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

President Donald Trump, center, speaks as he presents Sylvester Stallone, George Strait, KISS, Gloria Gaynor and Michael Crawford with their Kennedy Center Honors medals in the Oval Office of the White House, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

President Donald Trump, center, speaks as he presents Sylvester Stallone, George Strait, KISS, Gloria Gaynor and Michael Crawford with their Kennedy Center Honors medals in the Oval Office of the White House, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

President Donald Trump, left, presents Michael Crawford with his Kennedy Center Honors medal in the Oval Office of the White House, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

President Donald Trump, left, speaks as he presents Sylvester Stallone, George Strait, KISS, Gloria Gaynor and Michael Crawford with their Kennedy Center Honors medals in the Oval Office of the White House, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

President Donald Trump, left, presents George Strait with his Kennedy Center Honors medal in the Oval Office of the White House, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

FILE - The Hall of Nations at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, Nov. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul, file)

Kiss band member Gene Simmons speaks to members of the media at the White House, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

President Donald Trump speaks before a concert by Andrea Bocelli in the East Room of the White House walking towards the East Room, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)