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ALTON – On Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, 14-year-old Zachary led a mile-long run carrying a blue line flag in honor of Alton K9 Odin, who was killed by gunfire on August 22, 2024. The event was organized by Running 4 Heroes, an organization dedicated to honoring fallen first responders.

Runners gathered at the Alton Police Department and followed a route down East Broadway to CPL. Christopher Belchik Memorial Expressway before returning to the starting point. Zachary, who began volunteering with Running 4 Heroes in July 2024, said the run is a meaningful way to give back to the community.

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“To me, it’s just one way to give back to the community,” Zachary said. “When I’m running, I think about who I’m running for and all the people that it means something to.”

This weekend marked Zachary's 14th-mile run for the organization. “When it was brought to my attention, I was like, oh, wow, I think this would be great, especially because my dad is a first responder,” Zachary said. “He’s a firefighter paramedic, and he’s a retired Air Force veteran,

Zachary and his family live in a suburb of Chicago, about 3½ hours away from Alton. In addition to running, Zachary plays basketball and participates in his high school band as a trumpet player. He also completed his first half-marathon in Moline earlier this year.

During the run, Zachary carried a blue line flag, which he later folded and presented to Odin’s handler, Alton Police Officer Allen Averbeck. Officers from across the region followed the runners in their vehicles with lights on, creating a moving tribute.

Officers from the Alton Police Department, Madison County Sheriff's Department, Collinsville, University City, Mo., and St. Louis City were present. After the run, a wooden flag was presented to Officer Averbeck by officers from the K9 training center where Odin and Officer Averbeck trained.

Running 4 Heroes was started in 2019 to honor fallen first responders. Since its inception, the organization has run 1,850 miles in memory of first responders across the country. Odin is the 103rd K9 to be honored by the organization.

For more information about Running 4 Heroes, including how to support the organization, visit their official website at Running4Heroes.org.

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