2012 Run for the Fallen

We held our third annual Run for the Fallen event this past Saturday. All that was required of participants was that they walk or run one mile in honor of a fallen Illinois service member. We were very humbled to have 725 miles walked in honor of the members of our military who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The young man in uniform in the photo below is the son of one of my co-committee members. Brian has served two tours in Iraq and he walked the entire six hours in his ACUs and with his full pack in memory of his fallen comrades. It was an amazing sight.

One gentleman who attended lost his son in Afghanistan to an IED, and he walked for his son and for each of the three young men who died with him, then he continued to walk until he had walked for a member of each branch of the military. And he walked each mile wearing his son's Army boots. (In the middle of his miles he told me he felt like there were tacks in them, but he was determined to see it through. And he did.)

Even though the event was technically a way to honor those who have fallen in Iraq and Afghanistan, it served to honor any and all military members. I welcomed the first two people to the event, one was a WWII veteran and the other was a Vietnam veteran who asked if he could walk in memory of a good buddy he lost in Vietnam. We were honored for him to do so.

A group from the National Guard unit came and walked for their three members who have died in non-military accidents, my son and his friends, Joe and Eric.

Besides the unit paying honor to the three boys, the greatest honor for me personally was getting to walk with the family of Marine LCpl. Drew Uhles. The first year we held the event Drew's parents couldn't attend and wanted to make sure someone would walk in memory of their son, so I told them I'd be honored to do so. I have walked all three years in memory of Drew, and this year I was privileged to be able to share that walk with his mother while his father watched us from the sidelines because he is recovering from a knee replacement. (One of the photos I am posting is of a couple of my friends - they are the mother and aunt of the young man, Eric, I mentioned above - and me with Drew's mother after we walked for Drew. Drew's mother has his photo on her shirt.)

Everyone was so respectful and so conscious of what they were there for, and we were all so inspired by the family members in attendance. We had the young and old, we had sports teams come out and run together, the National Guard recruits came out and did PT and then ran together, the VFW Honor Guard performed a memorial service and then walked together, a local JROTC drill team performed and walked in memory of a former member who died in Iraq, we had families that came out and walked and ran together. At the end of the run/walk there was a place where everyone would plant a flag and ring a bell in memory of their fallen service member and throughout the day there were families that would sit by the field of flags and read the cards they were given with a photo and bio of the person they walked for. (One of the photos is of a young boy with his mom and dad and sister, and he is saluting while his mom and sister plant a flag. What you can't see in the picture is that his dad, who is watching, is wearing an Army shirt because he is currently serving.)

I really can't put into words just how humbled I am at the turnout for the event and how much everyone wanted to be part of it. I am very proud - hope you don't mind my sharing.


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Wow Clem, very moving and very touching !

Just a suggestion, let us know beforehand and I'll bet some here would sponsor or contribute, or we could just pass it along to others. Could you post an email or website that one could contribute to ?

It's acts of kindness like this that makes Americans proud. I'm sure you made your Daddy proud that day.

God Bless Our Vets !

 

Its too easy to say one supprts ones troops...its ACTION like this that speaks far louder. A REAL show of support helps not only veterans but the community also. A great example from a senior (dont mean age Clementine)member of the forum.

 

Steve, our event is part of the national Run for the Fallen event. I will definitely let you know next year - you are roughly a 2 hour drive away from where we are - you could come and join us!

Thanks, CAC, I think it is great for the community. People want to show support and they appreciate the opportunity to do so. This was our third year and I was a little leery of what kind of attendance we would have, but it was even bigger this year and we have people contacting us already about next year.

The Run for the Fallen organization is trying to encourage each state to hold an event for the service members from their state that have died. Many states have them, so you can look on the website to see if there is an event near you. But I would like to point out that even if the event is for a particular state, the point is to honor the fallen, no matter what war or conflict, or where they are from....They and their families need to be reminded that we will never forget.

And one other thing - we take donations when people offer and use them to send packages to overseas troops, but it is not a fundraiser and there is a stipulation that the event not be in any way political. It is a memorial run, full stop.

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You know something is particularly moving when Biak is at a loss for words.

Clementine, I cannot add much to what has already been said other than to say thank you for your work and commitment to honor our servicemen and women who have fallen. It's a reminder to each of us much can be accomplished if we all do something to honor them. And the best thing we can do to honor them is to not let them be forgotten.

 

Thank you for sharing this special effort for appreciating those that have served their fellow citizens.....I wish I lived closer to that Clementine---I think she has a special heart, her dad would be so proud.

 

You're a peach Clementine. Namaste.

 

Thank you for all of the kind words, but what we did setting up the event was nothing, it was truly a labor of love and respect. As Tommy said, the best thing we can do is not let them be forgotten.




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Clem, well done.

 

Thank you, Gordon.