The “We Are All Warriors” contest, inspired by the film “Warrior” has concluded by awarding the grand prize to Matt Long, a celebrated NYC firefighter, 9/11 survivor, champion athlete, and author.
The contest, sponsored by Lionsgate and AMC Theatres, allowed the winner to win a free hometown screening of “Warrior,” starring Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton.
Long’s submission to the contest, which was randomly chosen from the others entered into the contest, can be read here. If you would like to read Long’s book, “The Long Run,” it has been published by Rodale is now in stores in paperback form.
“We are thrilled and honored that Matt Long is the winning everyday warrior,” said Tim Palen, Lionsgate’s Chief Marketing Officer. “He truly has a fighting spirit, and is the living embodiment of everything this powerful film is about–resolve, strength of character, athelticism, and courage. Audiences and critics alike have loved this film, but I think it will make an even more special impact on Matt and his family and friends because it speaks so directly to his warrior spirit.”
For six weeks, people nominated their local heroes for the contest. The project and contest were promoted by MMA Weekly, Impact Wrestling, LIVESTRONG, JustJared, BeliefNet and The Huffington Post as well as other high profile editorial partners. The submission partners–including TapOut, AMC Theaters, Invisible People, Boys and Girls Club Of America, The United Way, The Case Foundations, The Mankind Project, Child S.H.A.R.E., Mobility Works and Warriors for Christ–were encouraged to nominate their own heroes, and celebrites such as Lance Armstrong, Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray, football player and U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman, NCAA champion wrestler Anthony Robles, and MMA fighters Tito Ortiz, Rad Martinez, Eric Apple and Rich Franklin were also nominated. More than 500 submissions were received, making the contest one of Lionsgate’s most successful user-generated contests thus far.
Below is the small biography of Long and the synopsis of “Warrior.”
“Matt Long has been a competitive athlete his entire life. As a member of his high school basketball team, he was required to run in the Brooklyn/Queens X-country Championships. With no prior running experience, he finished fifth for his school, completing the race in uncomfortable high top sneakers. At Iona College, he competed in their Division I basketball program for which a high level of fitness was mandatory.
Strength and endurance became especially paramount in his life after college when he became a New York City Firefighter. It was around this time he took up distance running and began competing in Ironman triathlons, finishing his first Ironman race in 2005. He then set his sights on qualifying for the Boston marathon by running the ING NYC marathon later that year. With hard work, dedication and persistence, he trimmed 30 minutes off his personal best to run a 3:13, qualifying for the 2006 Boston event.
On the morning of Dec. 22, 2005, Matt Long’s life changed in an instant. He was cycling to work in the early morning when he was struck and run over by a 20-ton bus making an illegal turn. The injuries he sustained pushed him to the brink of death. He received 68 units of blood in the first 40 hours after the accident and spent five months in the hospital. More than 40 operations later, he finally began a grueling rehabilitation regime. Matt found the psychological consequences of the accident nearly as hard to process as the physical severities. His doctor had told him he’d be lucky to ever walk again without a cane.
Matt fought through months of fear, despair, loneliness, and intense physical and psychological pain to regain the life he once had. His recovery was a miraculous one which included everything from learning to walk again and, a mere three years later, running in the 2008 New York City Marathon. “Running saved my life,” Matt says, and his determination and perseverance has turned him into a symbol of hope and recovery for countless others.
Matt’s story was covered in a wildly popular article in the March 2009 edition of Runner’s World magazine. Matt has since chronicled his life and journey both before and after the accident in his book The Long Run, released in October 2010. Matt has also started the I WILL Foundation which provides coaching, training and financial support to help people overcome adversity and challenges caused by illness or traumatic injury.
He currently resides in New York City.”
“Rising stars Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton command the screen as two estranged brothers facing the fight of a lifetime in Lionsgate’s WARRIOR, a moving, inspirational action drama from acclaimed director Gavin O’Connor (Miracle).
Haunted by a tragic past, Marine Tommy Conlon (Hardy) returns home for the first time in fourteen years to enlist the help of his father (Nick Nolte) to train for Sparta, the biggest winner-takes-all event in mixed martial arts history. A former wrestling prodigy, Tommy blazes a path toward the championship while his brother, Brendan (Edgerton), an ex-fighter-turned teacher, returns to the ring in a desperate bid to save his family from financial ruin. But when Brendan’s unlikely, underdog rise sets him on a collision course with the unstoppable Tommy, the two brothers must finally confront each other and the forces that pulled them apart, facing off in the most soaring, soul stirring, and unforgettable climax that must be seen to be believed.
A rousing ode to redemption, reconciliation and the power of the human spirit, WARRIOR is also a moving testament to the enduring bonds of family. WARRIOR stars Joel Edgerton (Animal Kingdom, Star Wars: Episode III), Tom Hardy (the upcoming The Dark Knight Rises, Inception, Black Hawk Down), Jennifer Morrison (“House”, Star Trek) and Nick Nolte (Tropic Thunder, The Thin Red Line). The film is directed by Gavin O’Connor; screenplay by Gavin O’Connor & Anthony Tambakis & Cliff Dorman and story by Gavin O’Connor & Cliff Dorfman. Lionsgate and Mimran Schur Pictures present a Lionsgate / Mimran Schur Pictures production. A Solaris Entertainment and Filmtribe production. Additional information about WARRIOR can be found at www.warriorfilm.com or www.facebook.com/warriorfilm.
