100-Mile American Heroes Run Winner: Ross Vezin

September 15, 2026

We are proud to share that our very own City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Deputy Chief and Association 3rd Vice President, Ross Vezin, won the 100-mile American Heroes Run in Boulder, Colorado.

He not only placed first in the race, but also set the course record at 22 hours and 6 minutes. 

The American Heroes Run is dedicated to honoring the 343 firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice on September 11, 2001, during the World Trade Center terrorist attacks.

"For the 25th anniversary, I wanted to make it extra mentally and physically tough on myself and do something special to remember the 343 firefighters who didn’t make it home to their families," said Vezin.

This race was months in the making, with Ross training intentionally to prepare for the high-altitude Western climate.

"I knew the altitude would play a big part and they say the SC humidity is relative to running in altitude so I trained in the hottest parts of the days, months before the September 11th race," said Vezin.

"With every step, I was reminded of the 343 FDNY firefighters that never made it home to their families while working to save thousands of lives on this day. For me, it was never about a finish time. It was about remembering, honoring, and never forgetting."

Congratulations to Chief/Vice President Ross Vezin for his success and dedication to remembering and honoring the fallen firefighters of 9/11!