'They Deserve To Be Honored:' Honor Mile Remembers Fallen Heroes At Welcome Home 5k Race

At the Welcome Home 5k Race, runners roll through Mohawk Park. But, the final mile stops some in their tracks.

"Thank you for being out here," said one runner to Gene and Michelle Atkins. 

For them, it's all about their son who served in the Army.

“Justin, Justin Lambillotte…they called him 'Lambo'," said Michelle. 

Private First Class Justin Lambillotte is one of more than 250 faces displayed along the “Honor Mile," the last stretch of the race.

“It makes us feel a little closer to him, feels like we’re with him…makes us feel like we're with him,” Michelle said. 

He died unexpectedly in 2022 at the age of 26. But at the race, he is being remembered along with others who passed and made the same sacrifice.

“I want to be out here to honor him and all the brothers and sisters up and down the line here,” said Gene. 

Each hug, handshake, and “thank you” reminds the Atkinses that their son isn’t forgotten. And that’s the goal of the race.

“I hope that the runners leave with a sense of community, I hope that the veterans feel like they’re supported here in the state of Oklahoma, I hope that the families feel like their loved ones are honored in the best way possible,” said Jessica Shepherd with the Eagle OPS Foundation. 

For a moment, the fast pace of the race gave way to a quiet remembrance of those who will never be truly gone.

“They deserve to be honored and know that they’re thought about,” said Michelle. 

Gene and Michelle are currently working with Skiatook to add a veteran's park to the town. A groundbreaking is planned for Dec. 7th.