Honoring Lives Lost During the 25th Anniversary of 9/11

Every running of the New York City Marathon is special, but this year’s race carries extra significance for a couple of reasons: It marks the 50th anniversary of the iconic 5-boro course, and it coincides with the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Among those lining up on November 1 will be Dennis Levasseur and Hanna Born, two runners whose lives were deeply affected by the events of that day. 
 

Dennis Levasseur

Dennis, now a retired deputy fire chief from Salem, Massachusetts, was called into action on September 1, 2001, as a member of Massachusetts Task Force 1. He and his team drove down to Ground Zero in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks and helped the FDNY, NYPD, and Port Authority Police dig through the rubble in search of survivors.  

A quarter century later, Dennis is returning to run the TCS New York City Marathon on behalf of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which supports the families of fallen military personnel and first responders.  

“There is nothing I admire more than those who willingly place themselves in harm’s way to protect others,” Dennis says. “As a country, we have a responsibility to stand behind the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice defending our country or protecting others in their own communities.”  

This will be Dennis’ 12th marathon and first since 2023, when he stepped away from racing. He’s running to honor the 343 FDNY firefighters, 23 NYPD officers, 37 Port Authority officers, and thousands of civilians who died on 9/11, as well as the 13 members of MATF-1 who’ve passed away in the years since. 

While he claims he’s “not built to run,” Dennis credits the sport with giving him more “confidence, determination, and drive.” 

“Those lessons carried over into my career as a firefighter, helping me become more resilient and better prepared to face difficult situations,” he says. “Running has taught me that sometimes the biggest challenge is simply believing you can keep going—and that lesson has stayed with me throughout my life.” 

Hanna Born

Hanna Born was just 3 years old on 9/11, and she was in the Pentagon’s daycare center when American Airlines Flight 77 hit the building. She was among the more than 100 children evacuated from the Pentagon, and soon after, she began showing signs of trauma and childhood regression. One of the things that helped her cope was running, which she discovered at age 11. 

“Running eventually became one of the places where my mind went quiet, and I could fully immerse myself in the moment,” says Hanna, who’s now a U.S. Air Force helicopter pilot. “I think that feeling, along with the friendships and sense of community I found in my teammates, is a big part of why I fell in love with the sport.” 

Over time, as Septembers came and went, Hanna began to feel like the events of 9/11 were slipping from the collective memory. One September 11 when she was a teenager, she arrived at her high school to find the flags flying at full staff. She missed her first two classes looking for someone to lower the flags out of respect for those who lost their lives. 

In the spirit of keeping our nation’s promise to “never forget,” Hanna started Run to Remember 2977, an initiative whereby she’ll run 2,977 miles—one for each person who died on 9/11. Each mile, she speaks the name of one person lost to the attacks.  

Hanna’s original goal was to run all 2,977 miles in one year. But she decided to slow down and build community as she goes. She’s sometimes joined on her runs by other people who share stories about the loved ones they lost that fateful day. 

“This effort is about purpose, not pace, and I’m grateful for every person who has trusted me with a story, joined me for a mile, or taken a moment to learn a name,” she says. “And I’m grateful that later this year I’ll have the opportunity to share this purpose with a community still so closely affected on the course at the New York City Marathon.”