Final Memorial Road Race Held in Abington to Honor Man Killed in 9/11 Attacks

For one final time, more than 1,000 runners and walkers participated in a 5K run and walk named in honor of an Abington, Massachusetts man who died in the attacks on 9/11.

The Jeff Coombs Memorial Road Race, which started in 2002, kicked off for the final time on Sunday morning.

"I said, ‘Well, let’s look at 20. I think that’s going to be the time to usher it over the finish line.’ And I held to that,” said Coombs' widow, Christie Coombs.

“I’ve shed a lot of tears and I will continue to today. It felt strange being here yesterday setting up for the last time,” she said.

Jeff Coombs was on board American Airlines Flight 11 when it crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.

The Jeff Coombs Memorial Foundation says it has since raised more than $1 million to benefit military children.

Organizers of Sunday's event also honored the Massachusetts victims of 9/11, as well as frontline workers who helped during the pandemic.

NBC 10 Boston's own Raul Martinez was among the participants in this year's run.

Sunday's event also featured free food, children's activities, music and raffles. For those who have participated for many years, saying goodbye to the event was difficult.

"This has just meant so much to my family and this town year after year," said Tammi Reid. "We’ve do it just about every year that we’ve been able to."

Despite the end of the run, Christie Coombs says the Foundation's work is not done.

Three runners in this year's Boston Marathon will be representing the foundation, said Coombs.

"And we're hoping to get bibs again to have runners run for us in April," she said.