BONNERS FERRY - Ron Vauk. Gregory Stone. Richard Carl. Robert Benson. Jerrick Petty ...

One by one, Idaho's fallen heroes were introduced to the more than 100 people who turned out to honor their memory in the state's first Run for the Fallen. Somberly, their names were read, along with their hometown and date of death.

Saturday's tribute run was the brainchild of Jessica Tingley and her mother, Bernadette Kirk-Bonner, who took part in a similar run in Maine, where their brother and son, Joshua J. Kirk, was honored last year.

"There are 54 fallen heroes in Idaho," Kirk-Bonner said. "We discovered that Idaho didn't have a run and so we thought, 'I think we can maybe do this.' "

Like the Maine run, the Idaho run is part of the national event, which began in 2008 when a group of friends ran across country from Fort Irwin, Calif., to Arlington National Cemetery to honor a friend. Their goal was simple - run a mile for each soldier killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since that first event, Run for the Fallen is now held in 44 states during the same weekend in August.

Cleston Raney. Christopher Reed. Brandon Titus. Alan Rowe. Luke Wullenwaber. Darren Van Komen. Kelly Morris. John Ogburn III. Carrie French.

"It was such a moving experience," Tingley said, her voice breaking. "We wanted other people to have an opportunity to meet our Idaho heroes."

Tingley said organizers also wanted the state's Gold Star families to have a chance to connect with each other.

Too often, the soldiers' families feel alone, that there's no one they can relate. An event like Run for the Fallen brings Gold Star families together and gives them a support system, Tingley said.

It took about three months for the pair to create a database of the state's Gold Star families, find next of kin and to reach out to them. Not all of the families of the state's 54 soldiers who have been killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation New Dawn chose to take part.

That's a decision organizers of the Idaho run said they respect. The grief and the pain is too raw, and for one reason or another, they chose not to participate.

The vision is to keep the Idaho run going, rotating it to another of the

soldiers' hometown - there are about 25 hometowns represented among the 44 soldiers. That way, the entire state can participate and be a part of honoring the soldiers, Tingley said.

"We don't want any community to feel left out," she said. "This isn't just about us honoring Josh. This is about us honoring all of Idaho's fallen."

Dustin Birch. Ivan Alarcon. Jacob Allcott. Jeremy King. James "Dougie" Bridges. James Riekena. James Holtom. Raymond Werner. Ross Clevenger. Emerson Brand.

For Debbie Johnson, son Gary Robertson and daughter Samantha Johnson, taking part in the run was a given. Their husband and dad served in the military for 23 years and came home.

"He was a lucky one," Debbie Johnson said. "He lost a lot of friends while serving and the least we can do for the people who gave their lives is to support their families and loved ones."

When they saw the sign at the local farmers market seeking runners to honor soldiers, the family discussed the run and quickly decided to take part.

"I'm really glad we're doing this because we're supporting the soldiers out there and we're supporting the ones who gave their lives for our freedoms," Robertson said.

Samantha Johnson even cut short work on a fishing boat in Alaska to fly down for the run. The 2011 Bonners Ferry High School graduate has friends in the military and said she's doing the run in their honor as well as to honor those who lost their lives.

"I wanted to run for them because they're not here," she added. "They're serving their country and it's the least I can do for them."

Curtis R. Hall. John Borbonus. Coby Schwab. Kelly B. Grothe. Blake Stephens. Bradly Conner. Charles Hester. Shane M. Stinson.

While it's been heartbreaking to read the stories of Idaho's fallen heroes, Kirk-Bonner said it's also been extraordinary to hear how truly remarkable these men and women are.

"These men who serve our country are truly our strength," she said. "There's something about the men who do this, they're just extraordinary."

Jessica A. Ellis. Randy Neff. Joshua J. Kirk. Matthew Heffelfinger. Cody Roberts. Nathan Beyers. Nicholas Newby.

Seeing the community turn out to honor the soldiers is heartwarming and both Kirk-Bonner and Tingley said it's been a privilege to be able to help others pay their respects.

Sure, they said, there's been more work because they've been involved in the organization but they said they've also got to be more involved. They've gotten to know the men and women, they've gotten to know their families.

"It's more intimate to be so involved like this, to know these men's stories, to really feel like their a part of our families." Kirk-Bonner said. "You meet their families and you have a connection with them.

"It's not just grief. You're embracing a true American hero. You're so proud of your son or daughter and so sorrowful that they're gone but you're happy they're being recognized."