Air Force Capt. Hanna Born, an instructor pilot at Fort Rucker, Alabama, launched a personal mission on September 11, 2025, to run 2,977 miles — one mile for each person killed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Born's connection to the attacks is personal. She and her younger sister were inside the Pentagon Child Development Center when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the building. "We were safely evacuated and reunited with our family, which is an outcome thousands of others never received," Born said. "We've always felt a deep obligation to honor the lives and families who were not as fortunate."
With each mile, Born shares a victim's name and story on social media. "I want to make sure people hear their names," she said. "Not just the number; the people." Her first organized run took place on September 11, 2025, when about 30 airmen from her squadron ran 9.11 miles together. Since then, the effort has expanded to a global audience of participants who follow her progress and dedicate miles of their own.
Born, a 2020 Air Force Academy graduate, comes from a military family. Her mother, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Dana H. Born, graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1983 and served 30 years in senior leadership roles. Her father, retired Marine Corps Lt. Col. Tim Born, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1975 and served 21 years on active duty. Her younger sister, Marine Corps 1st Lt. Heather Born, graduated from the Naval Academy in 2023 and serves as a communications strategy officer with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in Okinawa, Japan.
Born said she chose to undertake the running project to honor the promise to "never forget" for a new generation. She reflected on those who evacuated children from the Pentagon facility that morning, describing them as unsung heroes who acted without hesitation and sought no recognition.