Special to the Herald
After completing over 1,570 miles in honor of fallen heroes, 16-year-old Zechariah Cartledge recently took his final mile as a Youth Runner, a mission he started at just 10 years old. Zechariah's final mile will be his 1,572 mile.
Zechariah ran mile 1,571 in honor of the fallen Charlotte County Deputy Sgt. Elio Diaz at Layer Elementary School in Winter Springs, which has played host to over 1,250 of his miles.
His last mile, he ran at Decision Tactical on Dec. 30 will honor the lives of the over 1,570 heroes that Zechariah has honored since taking that first mile in 2019. The teen carried the flag one last time before handing it off permanently to the youth runners who will continue to lead the charge in 2025 and beyond.
"Zechariah's Final Mile" challenge coins were available at the event to mark the occasion.
