GREENSBORO, N.C. — From Raleigh to Greensboro, fallen Greensboro Sergeant Dale Nix was honored across county lines in North Carolina. Yet now, that honor continues across state lines in Winter Springs, Florida.
"Zechariah will tell ya, he doesn't want the focus to be on him, he wants the focus, every time the run takes place, to be on who it is we're honoring," Zechariah's father, Chad Cartledge proclaimed.
At 7 p.m. on Jan. 4, 15-year-old Zechariah Cartledge will run one mile to honor Sgt. Nix as he does with any first responder killed protecting others.
"We were thinking it was going to be a short-term thing. The more and more he got to meet with survivors and the more and more he saw the impact it was making, it inspired him to want to keep going," Cartledge said.
Zechariah and his dad, Chad Cartledge, started their organization, "Running 4 Heroes", back in 2019.
So far, Zechariah has run over 1400 miles to honor the fallen. Each mile he runs symbolizes a first responder and he's been running these laps across his old elementary school track since he and his father established the nonprofit.
"You know he could be doing anything at night, playing video games, building cities on Roblox, but he's deciding to take a few moments to bring some comfort to some families who are currently facing the darkest parts of their lives. So, you know, proud is an understatement, and I'm definitely honored to say that he is my son.", Cartledge said.
The pair hopes that those who witness this, both in-person and online, can see the legacy that Sgt. Nix left behind.
"Our hope is that when folks see the run, they, first and foremost, understand the hero that Sgt. Nix was, and that the appreciation of his service is felt beyond just the community of Greensboro, across the country it's felt," Cartledge said.