This Humble Runner
By Joe Bowen
American Airlines Pilot

On Friday night October 26, 2001 I had the honor of being just one of many hundreds of runners participating in the American United Flag Across America. The flag run is to benefit the families of the crewmembers and employees lost on American and United flights on September 11. At 10:30 Friday morning the flag made it’s way across the LA and TX State line amid much celebration. It was met by the East Texas contingent from the Longview Base Camp. I was one of the runners assigned to the Mineola Base Camp. Also running from this base were Kristi Blasco, Lance Dunahoe. Kristi, Lance and I grew up in East Texas and are also crewmembers for American Airlines. It was natural that we chose to run the flag in this part of our home state. The Mineola section of the run began in Big Sandy and ended just west of Terrell.

Early in the evening we drove to Longview to see the flag make it’s way through town and were moved by the amount of support shown by the local people there. Thousands were along the sides of Hwy. 80 waving flags and displaying homemade signs and banners. It was a great showing of hometown support for their flag and their country. The Longview Base handed the flag to us at the Mineola contingent around 10:30 PM in Big Sandy. The flag was handed to the cadets from the ALERT Academy there and these fine young gentlemen ran until the Big Sandy High School cross-country team, accompanied by Superintendent Wes Hickey, took the flag.. The Big Sandy High School Band was assembled there and as the flag passed by they played God Bless America. Even after the cross-country team took the flag, the ALERT Academy Cadets continued to run into Hawkins. Most of the towns people were out to see the flag. American Flight Attendant Kristi Blasco, a Hawkins native was ready to take the flag at just past midnight. Also running the flag from Hawkins with Kristi were Flight Attendant Mike Larsen and I. We ran the flag to just past Crow where Flight Attendants Lance and Danielle Dunahoe took over. Also running with us from Hawkins were two young women Samantha 14 and Amanda 13 and several members of the ALERT Academy were still running. Many of them ran at least 20 miles with the flag. Their motivation inspired us to run a much faster pace than we had imagined.

Kristi and Lance were instrumental in doing the groundwork in Hawkins and Mineola to let the Newspapers, businesses, police, and other organizations know what the flag run was about and garnered their support. Kristi’s parents Mr. and Mrs. Lindley Aills were able to get donations of water and snacks from Sams. Mr. Lindley Aills, a Shriner, was able to get the Sharon Temple Shriners to donate 2 vans and 4 drivers to shuttle the runners all night long. Our appreciation to them is immeasurable. In Mineola, Lance had acquired the use of the American Legion Hall for our Base Camp Headquarters. The Legion Hall provided their facilities and volunteers to serve food and drinks to all the runners and volunteers. Our gratitude to Jerry, a WWII Veteran, and his staff cannot be adequately expressed.

All along our run on Hwy 80 that night, were many citizens who were out at all hours of the night to see the flag. There was a wonderful lady, Mauritta Ridenhour, who would wave her flag at us as we past her. Then she would drive down the road and wait and do it again. After a few times we ran around her car and let her carry the flag. She expressed to me that it was one of the most moving experiences of her life.

Flight Attendant Lance Dunahoe's family, who lives along the route on Hwy. 80 had loud speakers playing the National Anthem and God Bless America as we past. These examples of grass root support make it obvious that small town America is as patriotic as ever. It is a humbling experience to see the support that was shown to our small part of this monumental effort. These wonderful citizens were out during all hours in the middle of the night to express their patriotism as well as donate to the funds for the victim’s families. I cannot adequately express what these fine folks did that night but that is what it means to be an American.

While running we were handing the flag from runner to runner. The last 2 runners from the ALERT Academy to continue running with us were not going to stop until they dropped. I noticed one of the cadets was staying to the rear of the group and had not held the flag. When I asked him why he carried the flag yet, he replied that he was Canadian and not American. I handed him the flag and said that tonight we are all Americans. This effort is to support the victims families who were lost on the American and United flights but the attacks were against all freedom loving people of the world. He said to me, God Bless America took the flag and proudly ran to the front of the group and he said he would someday be a United States Citizen. That’s American.

As we returned to Base Camp at the Mineola American Legion Hall we continued to sign in runners all night long. Any concerns we had that we would not have enough runners were alleviated early.

There were the members of the Irving, Texas police department who after completing their shift at 1:00 AM came out and waited until we knew where they were needed. They ran after 4:00AM and then drove back to Irving to work. There was a lady who was in East Texas from New Orleans for a family event and ran at 6:00AM for more than 8 miles. There was a man from Killeen, Texas who came and ran more than 20 miles. There were many Pilots, Flight Attendants, and other employee groups from American and American Eagle who came and ran where they were needed. American Pilots Scott Shankland and Joe Prem ran the flag. As well as lending their help to run the base camp. There were members from the Run On running club from Dallas. A police officer from Fort Worth drove out with his family to run with us. Thomas Minihan drove from College Station to run and then drove home. There were many more runners and volunteer who helped and we thank you.

Also helping at the Mineola Base was American Airlines Captain Jeff Hansen. Jeff came with his 30-foot flagpole and flew it at the base camp. He was dressed from head to toe in red white and blue regalia. Jeff offered support, humor, and running. Jeff’s excitement and enthusiasm for this event was contagious. He was an ambassador of patriotism as he provided much comic relief. Jeff, who said he couldn’t run a mile, ran more than a few miles that night. I don’t believe anyone could express his or her patriotism more than Jeff could. Thanks to Jeff Hanson who is proud to be an American.

As the flag made it to the town of Mineola the entire town was out at 3:00AM. There were citizens cooking sausage and scrambled eggs for everyone who was there. The Mayor was there as well as beautiful Miss Mineola. To see this kind of participation at the grass roots level at that hour was awe-inspiring. That’s American.

Our thanks also go out to our drivers from the Sharon Temple Shriners, Gene Gay, Scotty Witherow and Jack Knauss, who shuttled the runners from our Base Camp at the American Legion hall. Thanks for staying up with us all night. Thanks to the volunteers from the American Legion Hall who stayed up all night with us serving coffee and spaghetti. Also, thanks to the Fire Fighters and Police from Hawkins, Holly Lake, and Mineola, thank you! And thank you to everyone who turned out just to show your support. Thank you and God Bless America.

To every runner and volunteer, thank you for allowing me, this humble runner, to be a part of this solemn event.

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