CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – Friday morning, runners begin their over 130-mile journey to honor fallen South Carolina military heroes during the fourth annual Run for the Fallen.

They’ll be running from Charleston to Columbia, ending at the state capitol on Sunday.

These runners are running for the over 400 military heroes from South Carolina who died either while serving or who died because of something that happened in service. Along the 130-mile journey, each mile marker is dedicated to individual South Carolina heroes who passed away during the war on terror.

The group of runners will stop at each mile marker, or hero marker, to read the hero’s name, rank, branch of service, and date of death, plus a ceremonial planting of an American flag and Honor and Remember flag.

George Lutz, the founder of Honor and Remember, built the organization around the premise that, as Americans, we need a way to remember the sacrifices of our military for our freedoms.

He said it came out of a time period of grief when his son was killed in Iraq in 2005. Lutz said he sees this run as an opportunity to let families know that their loved ones have not been forgotten.

“Someone else’s loved one is dying for your freedom so that yours doesn’t have to. So, the most powerful, the most important thing you can do is be appreciative,” Lutz said.

Lutz says the event will be streamed live on the Run for the Fallen Facebook page for anyone who can’t be there in person but wants to be involved.

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