The blizzard that buried Boston under two feet of snow turned a man into an instant celebrity.

A photo that went viral showed man shoveling snow from the Boston Marathon Finish line along Boylston Street. The photo was taken by Philip Hillman, an employee of the nearby Charlesmark​ Hotel.

Like Us on Facebook

The photo triggered curiosity among netizens. Hillman and his friends created the hashtag #WhoShoveledTheFinishLine to help them find the mystery man. Even the Boston Police became involved in the search.

In its Twitter account, Back Bay Social Club, a neighborhood restaurant, sent out a message saying the mystery man is Chris Laudani, a bartender there. It even revealed that Laudani borrowed the restaurant's shovel to clear the finish line. 

Back Bay Social Club manager Ryan Swann told Boston.com that shoveling the road was Laudani's idea.

"I asked him why he needed the shovel, and he said 'I'm going to go clear off the Marathon finish line if that's ok with you," Swann told the local news site. "He's run the marathon the last few years, so I told him to go for it. And now his photo is everywhere." he added.

Laudani's gesture received praises from social media.   

In a tweet, Kim Fuller thanked Laudani, saying his act is what a community is all about. Hiddenboston also sent out a tweet suggesting buying a drink from Laudani, and leaving him a huge tip.

Laudani, in a statement to Boston Magazine said he did it out of love for the Boston Marathon and all the things the race stands for. He added that the mararthon finish line does not deserve to be buried under snow.

While the bartender thanked the people for the praises, he still thinks others deserve the kind words more than him. Although many people have hailed him as a hero, he said he is just a "nut" who loves the race.

"The real heroes are the people who were out there clearing the streets and sidewalks, the [Boston Police Department], and the [Boston Fire Department] who risk their lives every day to keep people safe," said Laudani.

Following all the buzz, Adidas --- which sponsors the Boston Marathon --- decided to give Laudani a much-coveted spot in the 2015 race.

The marathon will take place on April 20^th.

TagsBoston Marathon, finish line, mystery shoveler, blizzard, #WhoShoveledTheFinishLine, chris laudani