Family and friends of a Loyola High School tennis star killed in a suspected DUI crash last spring will run the 2026 Los Angeles Marathon with one mission in mind: “Run Like Braun.”
As in, Braun Levi, 18, a Manhattan Beach student known for his effervescence, determination, and heart.
Last year, on a whim, Braun entered the Los Angeles marathon with zero training.
But, if you knew Braun, you knew he lived life at full speed. From a young age, Braun’s family said he pushed himself to his absolute limits.
“Whatever he put his mind to, he did it,” Braun’s mom, Jennifer Levi, told NBC Los Angeles. “No matter how hard the challenge was. Even better.”
Braun crossed the finish line at the 2025 Los Angeles Marathon, earning that bib and medal his mom holds dear.
“I was incredulous,” Jennifer said, with a smile. “We did not believe he was going to finish.”
But Jennifer, a runner herself, grew to expect the unexpected from her son.
“He liked doing things that people said were impossible to do,” she said. “Braun liked living life larger than you could ever imagine.”
Braun was equally proud of himself for finishing the marathon. He was also, of course, in a lot of pain.
“He could not walk for about two weeks,” Jennifer recalled.
Despite giant blisters on his feet, Braun could not wait to run again.
But Braun’s family won’t get a chance to watch him cross the finish line at this year’s marathon.
A community celebration of life was held Saturday for Braun Levi, a student at Loyola High School who was fatally struck by an alleged DUI driver in Manhattan Beach. Tracey Leong reports for the NBC4 News at 6 p.m. on May 10, 2025.
On May 4 — just two months after he ran the marathon — Braun was walking on Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach when he was hit by a DUI suspect.
Braun died at hospital.
Braun was just weeks away from graduating high school, with a bright future on the horizon. He was a standout tennis player at Loyola High School, nationally ranked in his sport and set to continue playing at the University of Virginia.
The Levi family had recently moved to Manhattan Beach after their Pacific Palisades home was destroyed in the devastating January 2025 Palisades Fire.
After Braun’s death, his life sparked a foundation and movement dubbed “Live Like Braun.”
The foundation celebrates Braun’s spirit and aims to keep his legacy alive through scholarships for kids, improvements to public tennis centers, and raising awareness about the risks of impaired driving. Celebrities like Adam Sandler and Jack Johnson are supporters, wearing “Live Like Braun” hats.
That movement has now inspired “Run Like Braun,” a group of 66 friends and community members who will run in Braun’s honor in Sunday’s 2026 LA Marathon.
Their heartbreak has turned into purpose.
“It’s keeping Braun alive, and it’s connecting, and it’s bonding, and it’s being together in a positive environment,” Jennifer said. “This is all coming from love.”
One of Braun’s friends who is running with the group told NBC Los Angeles that Braun had an ability to rally people and “a mindset to do anything.” Friend Charlie McMillan ran last year’s LA Marathon with Braun by his side.
McMillan will be running the marathon again this Sunday — not with Braun, but for Braun.
“It’s what he lived for — he lived for bringing people together — for events like this,” McMillan told NBCLA.
Family friend Scott Denham will also be running the LA Marathon to remember Braun’s legacy. Denham watched Braun grow up, and said his energy was truly unforgettable.
“Anything he got involved in, he would just make it so exciting, and so much more fun,” Denham told NBCLA.
The “Run Like Braun” group will wear shirts at the marathon that read: “Run Like Braun. End Impaired Driving.”
So, when spectators see the “Run Like Braun” runners, gear, and posters at Sunday’s marathon, Jennifer hopes they’re inspired to check out the ongoing work of the Live Like Braun Foundation.
She also hopes spectators feel inspired to, well, live like Braun.
“Inspire people to live their best life, to lead with kindness, love, inclusivity,” Jennifer added.
“With every breath we take, he’s in our hearts,” Denham said. “And, trust me, every step I take of the 26.2 miles, he’ll be with me, side by side.”
Jennifer will be at the starting and finish lines, cheering on those who will carry her son across that finish line — for the second time. Her heart will be full.
“It touches me in ways that are hard to put into words,” she told NBCLA.
Braun told his mom that his favorite thing about running in last year’s marathon was seeing the different cultures in each neighborhood. He said it made him feel proud to be from LA and he couldn’t wait to bring more people with him to the marathon next year.
Now, he’s doing just that.