9/11 Heroes Run Raced Along Chicago's Lakefront Sunday

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Sept. 11, 2001 forever changed America. As events take place nationally to honor those who died or were otherwise affected in the attacks, one event happening in Chicago is the 9/11 Hero Run, held by the Travis Manion Foundation.

CBS 2's Marissa Bailey talks to Rob Bender, a representative of the foundation, who said this is one of over 50 races that the organization holds across the country.

The race was started by the Travis Manion Foundation, named for 1st. Lt. Travis Manion, who was killed, along with his Iraqui Army counterparts, in an ambush, while they were searching a suspected insurgent house, according to the foundation..

His family started the foundation in 2007, and wanted to honor veterans and families of fallen heroes. So years later, they began the race.

"They started what they thought was going to be a small run in Doylsetown, Penn., our hometown, and a lot of people came out. They knew they had something, and then in 2011, they took it national, then they built up the number of races from then," Bender explains.

The point of the run, Bender says, "...is just to get people to remember what happened on 9/11. And not so much the horrific events that occurred, although we probably should never forget from when they came, but more, our first responders, rushing into that building. To me, that's absolutely amazing...Those types of sacrifices [are] what we should never forget."

For more information on the 9/11 Heroes Run, visit the organization website, or the Travis Manion foundation, visit the website.