WBAY-TV Green Bay-Fox Cities-Northeast Wisconsin NewsMemorial Run, Walk in Honor of Captain Derek Dobogai

Memorial Run, Walk in Honor of Captain Derek Dobogai

It was a little more than two years ago when Fond du Lac native, Captain Derek Dobogai, and thirteen others were killed in Iraq.

The group was returning to base after a successful 28-hour mission when their Blackhawk Helicopter went down.

To honor Dobogai and the men killed alongside him, his family organized a memorial run-walk in his name.

Hundreds of runners and walkers laced up their sneakers and took to a course around Winnebago Lutheran Academy, Captain Derek Dobogai's alma mater.

An avid runner and even an ironman triathlete, Dobogai's family thought this run was an appropriate way to remember not only him, but the thirteen men he died with on August 22, 2007.

Derek's mother Lisa Dobogai says, "To think of all this for him and for the men that went down with him is just tremendous that the community and WLA and everyone would support this event."

Many of the runners and walkers participating in this event didn't know Captain Derek Dobogai or the men he was with the day they were all killed.

 And according to the principal at Winnebago Lutheran Academy, this run-walk is more about those fourteen men than the money raised today for WLA's track program.

WLA Principal Justin Gregorius says, "I think it's a testament to all our military men and women, all the things they've done protecting us, securing our borders so we're excited about that and just happy to be a part of this event and remembering these men."

It's that bigger message Captain Dobogai's family wants all these participants to leave with Saturday.

Derek's brother Dan Dobogai says, "Remember, remember our soldiers, our veterans, our fallen.  Honor them, respect them."