9/11 Pentagon Survivors Pay Tribute With 2,977 Miles – 1 Mile For Each Life Lost
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This year marks 25 years since the terror attack that took place on September 11, 2001.
There are so many incredible tributes taking place, like the 2,977 drones that created an outline of the World Trade Center to honor the 2,977 lives lost that day.
Another unique tribute is the Instagram account, @runtoremember2977, which centers on a year-long remembrance effort built around a powerful concept: one year, 2,977 miles and 2,977 names. The message behind the account is simple but deeply meaningful: every mile is dedicated to a life lost on 9/11.
Rather than allowing the anniversary of September 11 to become simply another date on the calendar, Run To Remember 2977 seeks to keep the individual people behind the tragedy at the center of the conversation. The initiative emphasizes remembering each of the 2,977 victims as individuals, with the miles serving as a physical representation of their lives and the importance of continuing to tell their stories.
Two 9/11 Pentagon Survivors Created Run To Remember 2977
Hanna Born was nearly three years old and her sister, Heather, was four months old on September 11, 2001. They experienced a normal morning, with their mom, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force at the time, dropping them off at daycare at the Pentagon.
Their dad was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps and the moment came for the family to spring into action. Their mom had to go into command mode, while their dad rushed to the Pentagon to pick up Hanna and Heather.
Daycare workers carried the infants, like Heather, out in cribs a half mile away from the building that was hit by a plane at 9:37 AM. Toddlers, like Hanna, were carried out or led hand-in-hand to the same area. Hanna told Newsweek, “The cribs were set up in a circle and the daycare workers sat inside that perimeter with us toddlers, comforting us until our parents arrived.”
Due to the heroic acts of countless unsung heroes that day, and hearing more stories throughout the years, both Hanna and Heather were inspired to enlist in the military.
Hanna is now 27 years old and is a captain in the United States Air Force, and is currently a TH-1H helicopter instructor pilot. Heather serves in the Marine Corps.
Last year, knowing the 25th anniversary of 9/11 would be approaching, Hanna and Heather created the Instagram account @RunToRemember 2977.
Heather was deployed for several months, so it was mainly Hanna and her friends carrying out this tribute, but Heather was able to join when she could.
At its heart, Run To Remember 2977 is about turning remembrance into action. Running becomes more than exercise. It becomes a way to reflect, honor and carry the memories of those who never made it home.
The project’s message, “This mile is not mine alone,” captures that spirit particularly well: every step represents someone else’s story, and every mile is an opportunity to say their name and remember their life.
At each mile, they say a victim’s name and sometimes, Hanna tells us some facts about their life and their heroics.
In July, Hanna ran with Kate Mascali, whose father, Firefighter Joe Mascali died on 9/11 saving so many other people. She detailed their extremely normal morning, visiting him at the fire house before school. Kate said that her dad gave her a ride to school that morning on their firetruck. Before she walked into class, she gave him a big hug, not knowing that was the last time she’d ever see him.
To learn more about their mission, visit the Run To Remember website, or follow their Instagram account.
What an incredible way to honor the 2,977 lives lost that day, and making sure we never forget their names.
On September 11, 2026, Hanna is running 34.3 miles with members of the FDNY into Ground Zero to honor to 343 FDNY members who gave their lives that day.
Watch the video below to hear more about her story.
