TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A nearly 200-mile journey is happening right now to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
The 6th Annual Florida Run for the Fallen will last three days and total 170 miles to honor the over 1,200 men and women who gave their lives for our country.
Eleven runners gathered in Tallahassee early Friday morning to begin their journey to Jacksonville.
The group stops each mile along the way at hero markers to read the names of service members whose lives were lost.
Christian Younger, a gold star father, lost his son, Ian, in 2019. Each year, his son’s name is read aloud at one of the hero markers near Jacksonville.
“It’s a somber event,” Younger said. “To hear your servicemen or child’s name called, it gets to me.”
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Michael Taylor has been a runner with the program for eight years. He said, as a veteran, it is a rewarding experience to honor others who died serving our country.
“It means the world to me, it’s great,” Taylor said.
Many of the runners participate in the Florida chapter as well as in other states, returning year after year and forging friendships along the way.
“It was the most emotional run I’ve ever had, that’s why I keep coming back,” Taylor said.
Watch their journey live on Florida Run for the Fallen’s Facebook page.
For more information about how you can participate or donate to the organization, click here.
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