In the summer of 2008, a small group of friends ran 4,000 miles across America. They called themselves Run for the Fallen, and their mission was to run one mile for every service member killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. They refused any political affiliation and simply wanted to honor those who had fought and died under the American flag. Jon Bellona, 26, of Clinton, NY, founded the Run in memory of his best friend and college roommate, 1st Lt. Michael J. Cleary, of Dallas, PA, who was killed in 2005, at age 24. The team also included Mike's fiancée, sister, and other friends.