National veteran nonprofit to host San Diego 9/11 Heroes Run

One of the nation’s leading veteran service organizations, Travis Manion Foundation (TMF), will host the San Diego 9/11 Heroes Run 5K race at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 11 at Rancho Bernardo High School. The annual race will unite the community to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, and honor the lives lost on 9/11 and in the wars since, along with veterans, military, and first responders who serve this country and its communities.

Now in its 14th year, the 9/11 Heroes Run national race series will be held in more than 50 locations across the country and around the world. Registration is now open for participants to run, walk, or ruck, and the race series is expected to draw over 60,000 participants worldwide.

The 9/11 Heroes Run 5K series was inspired by Marine 1stLt Travis Manion, who was killed by an enemy sniper in Iraq in April 2007 as he selflessly pulled his wounded teammates to safety. Before his final deployment, Manion visited New York City Fire Department Rescue Company 1 - famous for losing almost all of their men on 9/11—and returned home with an even deeper devotion to defending this country’s freedom ahead of his return to Iraq. At its heart, the 9/11 Heroes Run is a personal commitment to never forget the heroes of that day.

“The 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks is an opportunity to reflect,” said TMF President Ryan Manion. “We reflect on the civilians and first responders we lost that day, and all those lost in the wars since, including my brother. But it’s also an opportunity to act; to come together and remember what connects us as Americans, and to rediscover our unity and strength of character. This is what the 9/11 Heroes Run race series is all about.”

Travis Manion Foundation’s 9/11 Heroes Run has Comcast NBCUniversal as a national sponsor. For more information about the race series or to register, visit www.911heroesrun.org.

Travis Manion Foundation unites communities to strengthen America’s national character by empowering veterans and families of fallen heroes to develop and lead future generations.

The story of 1stLt Travis Manion and his Naval Academy brother LT(SEAL) Brendan Looney have been publicized in the book Brothers Forever, and additional information about the Foundation can be found at www.travismanion.org.