At the 2010 run, a group of soldiers formed up and ran the last lap with a 120-pound log on their shoulders. When someone asked about the log and its significance, they said that the 120 pounds equals the weight of a human being that they would carry out of combat.
A major serving at the Command and Staff General College at Ft. Leavenworth committed to run a 5K for every soldier he’d lost under his command in Iraq. On 9/11/10 he ran 10 5K’s in a row, equaling 31 miles, to honor those soldiers. All the officers on the team ran in full battle dress, including a 65-pound backpack that they relayed for the 9 hours and 11 minutes. On the pack were 10 bib numbers, one for each soldier. When asked by another runner if he could carry the backpack for a while the officer replied, “Thank you, sir, but this is my burden to carry.”
The very 1st year of the run at about 4:00 in the afternoon a runner, dressed all in black, showed up. He didn’t talk to anyone, but just paid his fee and then took a minute with his shirt before taking off on his run. We noticed that he had put a sign on his back with 3 names on it. He kept to himself throughout the run. Finally, when he came in for water, I asked him about the names. Turns out he is from New York and was here attending KU. The 3 names were friends he had known since grade school, and they all went on to become fire fighters and EMTs. They all died in the Towers. He told me that no matter where he was in the world, he would always do the Patriots’ Run in their honor, and he has kept true to that word. He is the only runner who has run every single year.
“For me personally, It does mean a lot for me to see all that honor and remember my son, Shane, and everyone who made the ultimate sacrifice. This helps keep me strong. My life changed on 10-8-2006—the day I heard the words WE REGET TO INFORM YOU. I promised my son to stand strong and to help families of our fallen, and our veterans. When we stand & work together, we stay strong.”
-Deb Austin, Kansas City Gold Star Mom
Another Gold Star Mother, who lost her son at the Pentagon, sat at the lap line most of the day. She smiled, cheered, and clapped for the runners the entire time. Later, runners told us that they came to look forward to seeing her smile as they passed the line. Late in the day I happened to walk past her and overheard her talking to herself as she said “They didn’t forget. They didn’t forget my son. I was so afraid they would forget my son.”
Jose Nabrida worked for 11 years to immigrate to America. When the 9/11 tragedy happened, it troubled him deeply because his adopted nation had come under attack and there was nothing he could do to help. He committed to run a marathon in every state to honor the fallen. A flag was donated to him that is imprinted with the name of every victim from 9/11 and he carries this flag for the entire marathon, every marathon.
The first year of the run, Andrew Wilson, fresh back from Afghanistan, asked to be involved. He has been involved every year in the planning of the event. When he was deployed to Iraq, he did not want to miss the run so he organized the 1stoverseas event. They had 500 soldiers run that year. He next helped organize the 1st run in Afghanistan when we ran 1500 soldiers. Since then, he returned repeatedly to Afghanistan as a private contractor, and he continued to help set up the races. While working as a contractor he drove through the mountains around Kabul, unarmed, to get to Bagram AFB to set it up. They expected 4000 runners. This was to be the largest event of the year at Bagram AFB. This is where they planned the attack on America and soldiers wanted to run there to prove we did not forget.
The one thing that really hit home with me last year was the family that ran together. Dad was running the Marathon, but he and the entire family helped his daughter who was severely handicapped to be out of her wheelchair and on her feet with someone on each side of her to walk a few steps. She walked 300 feet—the longest walk of her life. I was the one on the sideline crying as I watched this family work as a team to participate and support each other in this event.
The Vice President of the Olathe Chamber of Commerce came by in the afternoon to observe the run. After a while she stood in the middle of everything that was going on and slowing turned in a circle to take in the runners, tents, music, volunteers, and spectators that make up the event. When she completed her turn tears were streaming down her face.
