Neighbor News
Remembering heroes with ties to Annapolis
The Annapolis 9/11 Heroes Run remembered many heroes. Some of their boots and pictures were on display at the run.
The Annapolis 9/11 Heroes Run remembered many heroes. The boots of some of them were sheltered under a tent. The pictures of others lined Farragut Road.
Whether the more than 800 participants were running, walking or rucking, they were cheered on by many friends, family members, volunteers and supporters at the start and finish lines and intersections along the run’s route.
Natanya Levioff, the run’s race director, thanked the many people and organizations that made the race possible. Her list of thanks included the Naval Academy Athletic Association’s for the use of the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, 250 volunteers, including the Naval Academy’s wrestling, sprint football, rugby and women’s soccer teams, the 9/11 Heroes Run Race Committee, local police and fire departments, and community partners.
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Gold Star Families (families whose loved ones died while serving our nation) and three individual heroes were recognized at the run. Two of the heroes were Marines and academy graduates: 1st Lt. Travis Manion, Class of 2004, and Maj. Doug Zembiec, Class of 1995. The third hero was Navy Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Patrick D. Feeks, who served on the same SEAL team as Manion’s academy roommate. Feeks is from Edgewater, Md., and has a plaque in his honor on Rowe Boulevard. All three were killed in action.
Speakers offered so many inspirational words. They told the gathering of Manion’s mantra: “If not me, then who?” They told the runners it was better to do something than nothing. They emphasized the importance of leading with hearts, not by rank.
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Hosted by the Travis Manion Foundation, the Annapolis 9/11 Heroes Run included 5K and 1M family fun runs and a 5K GORUCK, an endurance training event that involves weight on your back. The Travis Manion Foundation is a nonprofit organization “that empowers veterans and families of fallen heroes to develop character in future generations.”
The Heroes Run race series started 14 years ago with a 5K in Pennsylvania. From its 300 original attendees, the series has grown to more than 60,000 participants in more than 90 race locations around the world.
