TAMPA, Fla. — Loren Murfield and his family were stunned when his son Caleb Murfield passed away in 2007. But he worked to turn his grief into action.
On Sunday, he will be running the 50th Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C. to honor his son and raise awareness about mental health struggles among young people and veterans.
Caleb was a Marine who died by suicide at just 22 years old, and he was among those honored during the race's Wear Blue Mile at the halfway point.
"He was like Robin Williams. He had a quick wit, a ready smile, and you never knew what was coming next," Murfield said of his son.
In the years since Caleb's death, Murfield has studied, written, and trained for this moment. To raise awareness, he points out that we lose 92 young people aged 15 to 24 by suicide each week, and another 17 veterans every day, according to the CDC.
"Caleb died too soon. He had way too much potential," Murfield said.
Loren Murfield has made it his mission, alongside his wife, to turn this tragedy into something more. He has written dozens of books about mental health and has used his legs to fight as well by running, taking on his first marathon at age 62.
"When I started running, I said I wanted to do it for Caleb," said the older Murfield, "But it's not just running it for Caleb. It's running it to promote mental health. And it's to help prevent suicide," Murfield said.
The motivation at 70-years-old now is to try to buy someone an extra minute.
"If I can help one person delay it one minute…which could lead them to the rest of their life…it's worth getting up at 1:00, 2:00 in the morning and running 20 miles," Murfield said.
The Marine Corps Marathon marked Murfield's eighth marathon. During mile 12, he came face-to-face with his son's picture among the faces of the fallen posters on the somber Wear Blue Mile.
When asked to describe how he was feeling leading up to the race, Murfield said he was "confused."
"It's been a roller coaster of emotion. I'm so relieved it's running. Yet it's helped me to grieve my son's loss. I wanted to do it to honor him, but it's helped me to appreciate who he was and how he still affects my life," he said.
Murfield finished the marathon in just under six and a half hours.
This year, 50 runners wore blue during the race, each honoring their loved ones who died while in military service.
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