9/11 Heroes Run president to participate in DI event

One of the honored guest speakers at this year’s 9/11 Heroes Run on Saturday, Sept. 11, will be Ryan Manion, president of the Travis Manion Foundation (TMF). She will also be participating in the run on Daniel Island after her speech. 

 

Manion is the sister of the foundation’s namesake, Travis Manion, 1st Lt. USMC, a hero who made the ultimate sacrifice. He was only 26 years old when he was killed by enemy sniper fire in the Al Anbar province of Iraq while saving wounded battalion members on April 29, 2007. 

 

Travis Manion’s dedication to duty inspired his sister to devote her life supporting our nation’s military, veterans, and families of fallen heroes through the Travis Manion Foundation. Born out of an unimaginable loss, the organization has helped numerous veterans and military families since it was formed in 2012.

 

Before leaving for his last deployment he uttered the powerful sentiment, “If not me, then who?” to explain his desire to keep serving his country. “Those five words are our ethos and call to action. Inspired by Travis and all of our fallen heroes, Travis Manion Foundation is a community, led by veterans and families of the fallen, that serve together and support each other. Our goal is to invest in those veterans so they are empowered to go out and lead and serve their communities,” Ryan Manion explained.

 

The foundation’s annual 9/11 Heroes Run 5K is an international event committed to remembering the 9/11 heroes and those who continue to serve. 

 

“Through the 9/11 Heroes Run, every American has the opportunity to learn about this generation of heroes that have served and sacrificed since 9/11. It’s a day to come together as a community under a common goal to never forget. That’s important for my family and all Gold Star families who made the ultimate sacrifice. But equally important, it’s a way to teach the next generation — many of whom were born after Sept. 11, 2001 — about what happened that day and all of the brave first responders and military veterans that risked their lives out of love for their country and their fellow Americans. With all of the divisiveness in America, I hope that our fallen heroes are a reason to bring our country back together to experience what we felt on Sept. 12, 2001 — patriotism, unity and resolve to protect each other,” Ryan Manion stated.

 

One of the Travis Manion Foundation’s main missions is to address the mental health and suicide epidemic within the veteran community. The foundation provides veterans with a proactive approach to improve mental health and provides support to people in need. Ryan Manion is an integral part of this important outreach.

 

Her life as a wife, mother of three, township supervisor in her hometown of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and president of TMF has become even more busy — she is currently helping those in need after the withdrawal of troops in Afghanistan in August.

 

“Throughout the pandemic, and more recently as events have unfolded in Afghanistan, our veteran members need an outlet to continue their service and experience the camaraderie and support they had when they were in the military. And through their service, they are having a huge impact on their local community, serving as mentors for youth and lifting up those in need,” Ryan Manion said. 

 

Theresa Faircloth, Charleston director of the 9/11 Heroes Run, is thrilled to have Travis Manion’s sister participate in the run and looks forward to Ryan’s speaking debut at the local event.

 

“The organization started the 9/11 Heroes Run series,” Faircloth continued. “... They do so much across the country for our veterans and Gold Star families. To have someone that was actually related to Travis Manion attend our race is going to be really impactful for both our local board of directors and committee, as well as the community. The opportunity to meet Travis’ sister and talk about Travis and the foundation is a really special opportunity. We are really excited.”

 

The opening ceremony starts at 8:30 a.m. in front of the Charleston Fire Department station located at 235 Seven Farms Drive. Faircloth recommends getting there early in order to hear what promises to be an unforgettable speech.

 

Ryan Manion also wrote a book, “The Knock at the Door” with two other Gold Star women — Heather Kelly and Amy Looney. 

 

The bestselling book explores personal accounts about how a “knock at the door” devastated their lives and led them to inspire others through service. The book describes how the three women, who are forever bonded together by grief, found a purpose and helped them escape the trap of despair and inaction. “The Knock at the

Door” is considered a “roadmap for anyone who has ever had to answer their own knock at the door.”

 

Ryan Manion noted the significance of this year’s event which — for the first time ever —  falls on the day of the horrific attacks that took place. 

 

“The 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks is an opportunity to reflect,” Ryan added. “We reflect on the civilians and first responders we lost that day, and all those lost in the wars since, including my brother. But it’s also an opportunity to act; to come together and remember what connects us as Americans, and to rediscover our unity and strength of character. This is what the 9/11 Heroes Run race series is all about.”  

 

For more information about Ryan Manion, go to ryanmanion.com. To learn more about the 9/11 Heroes Run, visit 911heroesrun.org.