NINETY-SIX SIGNS lined the Piscataquog Trail with faces, names, ranks and the date each of the New Hampshire soldiers died.
As runners in Sunday’s Catholic Medical Center Manchester City Marathon strode past, Gold Star families stood by posters for their loved ones, keeping their memories alive and hoping to inspire the more than 2,000 runners to honor and help local veterans. They said too many have been lost and too many become lost when they come home from war.
Stephanie Ouellette of Manchester was there to honor her brother, Marine Cpl. Michael Ouellette, who died in 2009 in Afghanistan.
“They say that people die twice. Once when they actually die and once when nobody says their name. This morning, I have met so many people who have run by each and every poster who have said every name out loud,” she said.
The official charity sponsor of the Millennium Running race was Swim With A Mission, a Bedford nonprofit that aims to reduce veteran suicide in New Hampshire. Phil Taub and his wife, Julie, founded SWAM in 2017.
“Since 9/11, in the global war on terrorism, New Hampshire has lost 96 of our own downrange, killed in training or killed in action, and in that same period of time, more than 900 of our own in New Hampshire have come home safely and taken their own lives,” Phil Taub said. “Every eight days, another veteran in New Hampshire takes their own life, and that is unacceptable.”
Since 2017, SWAM has donated more than $12.5 million, Phil Taub said.
Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais, who helped kick off the races just before 9 a.m., said he’s proud of his community’s commitment to helping veterans.
“This is phenomenal, especially when you have a cause like Swim With A Mission that the proceeds are going to,” he said. “It’s incredibly important especially on Veterans Day weekend to remember why we do these kinds of things to support our veterans when they’re in need. “
Remembering Michael
Stephanie Ouellette can’t help it. Her face lights up when she talks about her brother.
“Michael was the middle child of three and I always joke that he was like a renaissance man because he on one hand played chess and read Nietzsche and was a very talented sketch artist. But on the other hand, he listened to everything from Metalica to A Tribe Called Quest. He was just very eclectic. I like to refer to him as a full menace in every area of his life. He was brilliant and witty and very, very funny,” she said.
Cpl. Michael Ouellette was awarded the Distinguished Navy Cross and saved many people the day he died, she said. The best way to honor fallen soldiers is to take care of their families and the veterans who come home.
Stephanie Ouellette works as a survivor outreach service coordinator for New Hampshire, working with all of the Gold Star families.
Family ties
Richard Bilodeau of Manchester was also among the Gold Star families along the course. His son, Derek, was a 23-year-old Army specialist when he died in 2008.
“He got wounded three times over in Afghanistan, and then when he came home, he had PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) real bad and he ended up taking his own life two years after he was wounded,” he said.
Richard Bilodeau said charities like SWAM and events like Sunday’s race are important components to understanding what soldiers go through and funding life-saving mental and emotional treatment.
Derek Bilodeau was patriotic and had always wanted to serve in the military. He was also not a fan of the cold or heights, but found himself serving in Fort Drum, a frigid base near the Canadian border and in the 10th Mountain Division.
He also really liked onions, his sister Amanda Quintana said.
“He used to eat onions like they were apples. He loved onions and pickled eggs,” Quintana said.
Like Derek Bilodeau, William “Blake” Marston grew up in the area. He was a Navy SEAL from Bedford and a standout baseball player at Derryfield School and Stonehill College.
He was 31 and engaged at the time he died in a parachuting accident during training in Florida after returning from deployment. His mother, Nancy Marston of Rye, was standing behind a poster of her son and his fellow SEALs during the race.
“When they showed up at my door, I said, ‘What are you doing here, he’s home now,’” she said of when she was informed of his death stateside.
Nancy Marston is now on SWAM’s advisory board and can’t say enough about the organization’s dedication to veterans.
Day at the races
Nearly 650 people ran in the marathon while more than 700 ran the half-marathon and over 400 participated in the 5K, including Manchester Police Chief Allen Aldenberg. The chief came in 210th place and was seventh in his division, finishing in just over 32 minutes and 36 seconds.
For Krystal Jervis of Auburn, it was her fourth time competing in the race, which holds special meaning for her and her husband, Jim.
“This is actually our engagement race. We got engaged at this race four years ago,” said Krystal Jervis, who placed 121st overall in the half-marathon and third in her division.
Nashua High School South runner, Katie Perry, 17, finished 118th in the half-marathon and set a personal record. She said she enjoyed the challenging course.
“It gets hilly the last few miles,” she said. “I did good though. I got a PR, I think.”
Samuel Fazioli of Derry won the men’s marathon, which is a Boston Marathon qualifier. He finished in just over 2 hours, 37 minutes.
Mackenzie Carlson of Cambridge, Mass., won the women’s marathon in just over 3:01. The top local woman was Anna Zilinski of Swanzey, who placed 26th overall and third in her division.
Malik Mahmud of Cambridge, Mass., won the men’s half-marathon in a time of 1:13. Emma Howe, also of Cambridge, won the women’s half-marathon in 1:20. The top local runner was Rebecca Hartman of Amherst, who placed fifth overall and second in her half-marathon division.
Hobie Matulis of Bedford won the men’s 5K in 18:44. Ella Malone of Barrington was first in the women’s 5K in 19:31. For more results, visit millenniumrunning.com/marathon/#results.
