A two-day, 110-mile tribute run from Owensboro, Kentucky to Kentucky Veterans Cemetery West. At tribute stops along the route, Kentucky's fallen service members are honored one by one, by name.
A Kentucky chapter ofDays on the road
Sept 19–20
2026
Heroes honored by name
Our mission
Kentucky Run for the Fallen runs dedicated miles for every Kentucky service member who died while serving, or as a result of serving, since October 12, 2000 — the bombing of the USS Cole. More than 400 heroes are honored along the route. Families walk the last steps with us. Communities line the shoulders. At each Hero Marker a name is read aloud, and an Honor and Remember flag is placed in the hands of the people who loved them.
One mission. One team. One tribute.
The route
Day 1 · Mile 0
Colors are posted on the Ohio River waterfront. Families, Gold Star relatives, and runners gather before the first mile.
Day 1 · Tribute miles
Runners hand off the flag in relay. At each tribute stop the team halts, a hero's name and branch are read aloud, and the road goes quiet.
Overnight
The team rests, the route is re-staged, and support crews prepare Day 2. Honor and Remember flags remain posted through the night.
Day 2 · Tribute miles
Communities meet the run at county lines. Anyone can join for a mile — the flag never stops moving until the last name is read.
Day 2 · Mile 110
The run finishes on sacred ground. Closing ceremony, final roll of names, and taps.
Detailed stop-by-stop timing is published closer to the event.
How it works
A pre-staked Hero Marker stands at every mile of the route. We run for more than 400 heroes, so some markers carry multiple names. Each marker has a date and an arrival time, and the schedule is published by mile.
A small core team running 8–9 minute miles arrives carrying four full-size flags — American, Kentucky, Honor and Remember, and Sacrifice — plus small flag sets. The stop takes 90 seconds or less: other families are waiting ahead.
The heroes
Every Hero Marker belongs to one hero. Families are invited to walk that mile, receive their flag, and hear their service member remembered in front of their community. Every fallen service member since October 12, 2000 should be listed in the national database.
Edit heroes.js to add the honored roster — the wall below fills in automatically.
From the road
Click any frame to enlarge
Thank you, sponsors
Sponsors and donations offset event expenses and support families who grieve the loss of a loved one. All sponsors are recognized here; Diamond, Platinum, and Gold sponsors are printed on the run shirts when time permits.
Platinum level
Silver level
Bronze level
Special thanks
Take part
Two ways to give
Scan the code, or search Venmo for @KY-Honor-Remember. Prefer a receipt from the national office? Give through Honor and Remember.
Donate at Honor and Remember ↗Questions
A statewide relay foot run in tribute to every Kentucky military service member who died while serving, or as a result of serving, during the War on Terror — since October 12, 2000.
A core team of marathon-trained runners and a support crew keep a timed schedule, stopping at one-mile intervals at a pre-placed Hero Marker to speak each name, date of death, and branch of service. Families, friends, and patriots wait at the marker for that short ceremony — under a minute — and the team continues to the next marker.
Kentucky service members who died while serving or as a result of serving since October 12, 2000, regardless of cause of death. Honor and Remember recognizes all military who died while serving — in battle or from the hidden wounds of service.
Search Find a Hero. Every fallen service member since October 12, 2000 should be in the database. If your hero isn't listed, use the Add a Hero form — once verified they are added to the run according to their date of death.
Email dataupdate@runforthefallen.org, or submit the correction through the Add a Hero form.
Yes, if you can hold the team's pace — roughly an 8–9 minute mile. You'll need your own transportation to the marker before yours so you can join the team as it comes through. Planned arrival times are published on the route maps ahead of the run.
Please do. Bring photos, posters, banners, Honor and Remember flags — whatever tribute you'd like to make. Let us know you'll be there so we can identify the time and location, and select “Stand At a Hero Marker” on the volunteer form. Markers sit about a mile apart; some roadside spots aren't safe to park or stand, so use good judgement and tell us if you'd rather wait at a nearby marker.
Each marker is specifically timed and the team runs 8–10 minutes between them, so arrive 30–60 minutes ahead of the posted time and call us day-of for progress. Markers are printed in color and laminated on a full 8½″ × 11″ sheet, placed on road signs, light poles, or staked in the ground where they can be spotted easily.
Yes. Hero Markers cover October 12, 2000 forward, but every end-of-day ceremony honors additional families present, regardless of generation. Look over the route, pick a place you can attend, and let us know.
Send a relative or friend in your place, or stand at another family's marker closer to you — they may do the same for yours. Join an end-of-day ceremony if you can, and follow the live feed on Facebook either way.
Runners, support crew, law enforcement, sponsors, service organizations, media, and whole communities — locally and nationally, volunteer and financial. Start with the volunteer form or contact us directly.
Contact
Call or write about a hero, a marker, volunteering, or bringing your organization out to the route. Day-of, call us for the caravan's progress.
Charlotte Ball
Kentucky Run for the Fallen
c/o Honor and Remember, Inc.
PO Box 16834
Chesapeake, VA 23328
Give by check
Make checks payable to Honor and Remember, Inc., noted for Kentucky Run for the Fallen, and mail to the address above. Donations above event expenses further the national mission of Honor and Remember, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. EIN 41-2277283.
