Two Monmouth County teens are raising money to help health care workers on the COVID-19 front lines by organizing a virtual marathon.

“I thought I could spin this negative into a positive and use it as an opportunity to show our support on the Jersey Shore for our health care workers,” says Rumson-Fair Haven High School senior Bobby Hoye.

Hoye was training for months to run in the New Jersey Marathon before the pandemic forced it to be canceled. The cross-country captain and his best friend Peyton Ming then decided to put together a virtual marathon to raise money for the Jersey Shore University Medical Center’s COVID-19 relief fund.

“To see this number increase and increase and get closer to our goal got more and more exciting as the livestream went on,” says Ming.

The marathon took almost 5.5 hours to complete. The teens raised more than $5,000.

“That’s exactly what I needed to help me get to the finish line. There were a few times where I fell down, but I could get back up again and keep going because I had the support of so many people behind me,” Hoye says.

Hoye and Ming even received a shoutout from Gov. Phil Murphy during one of his media briefings.

“That was crazy. It really helps me to have his support and I really hope to thank him in person one day,” says Hoye.

With all the publicity surrounding the endeavor, the teens say that they hope that they can raise even more money. They say that being able to give back to the health care workers is a perfect way to end their senior year.

“We used it as an opportunity and display what we can do as teenagers just going for a run,” Hoye says.

A website has been set up for those who still wish to make donations.