LAKE COMO — The 21st annual Fallen Heroes 5K Race was held at Bar Anticipation on Saturday, Sept. 9 in honor of the sacrifice made by the emergency responders who lost their lives during the 2001 terrorist attacks on the twin towers.
The annual race is presented by the New Jersey Firefighter’s Mutual Benevolent Association [NJ FMBA] and welcomes a large number of firefighter participants each year, said Elizabeth firefighter and Race Director Dan Beirne.
“This is probably about 70 percent firefighters running this race, and we do it in honor of the fallen heroes of 9/11, 2001,” he said. “That’s how it started; the race started the following year in September, 2002. We wanted to memorialize all the firefighters, all the police who were lost, all the emergency responders and the innocent lives lost.”
Mr. Beirne, who said he went from “running in the race to running it” for the first time this year, explained that the race is a rain-or-shine event that raises funds for various charitable causes each year, such as the Wounded Warriors or Tunnels to Towers foundations. This year’s proceeds will benefit the families of the two firefighters killed in a cargo ship fire at Port Newark in early July.
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