Woman runners turned out en masse in the early morning hours of September 9th to honor the late Eliza Fletcher.
“Let’s Finish Liza’s Run” was a run to honor Fletcher, who was abducted during her early morning run on September 2nd. Her body was found September 5th.
The run was held beginning around 4:20 a.m., which was about the time Fletcher was abducted. It began at Central Avenue and Belvedere Boulevard in front of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, and went down Central to University of Memphis and back.
The race was organized by Danielle Heineman and Beth Garrison. “This isn’t about us, about interviews, about publicity,” Heineman says. “It’s about honoring Liza to finish the run that she couldn’t finish.”
A candlelight vigil was being held by another group at the U of M destination, Heineman says. Lots of people were on the sidewalk holding candles. On one gate, a string of lights spelled out “Liza.” And a young girl played “This Little Light of Mine” on a ukulele.
Heineman heard an estimated 2,500 people ran and about 1,000 people were spectators.
“The city emergency response teams showed up in force today. All of Central Avenue was closed in one direction for the entire morning. We had helicopters over the course. It was fabulous. It really was. Just to see the city come together. Not just the residents, but also the city personnel. The police. The fire department. There were military out there. Husbands and brothers. And churches allowing us to use their parking lots. And use the steps of their church to gather. Christian Brothers University provided shuttles for people. Midtown Taekwondo provided shuttles for people who arrived at Second Presbyterian. Also Forest View Church of Christ provided a shuttle.”
Did Heineman know Fletcher? “I never met her. I have friends who know her well. We ran a lot of the same races. But we never met that I’m aware of.”
