Heroism happens every day. Sometimes by fighting crimes, sometimes by defending the helpless, and sometimes by simply helping others to remember.
Jose Zambrano is one such hero: a firefighter. Like many emergency servicemen, Jose is no stranger to heroic deeds — like these firemen who rallied behind a kid being attacked by bullies on a bus.
But this past Sunday, Jose decided to put a new spin on our definition of "heroic." He completed the New York City Marathon — but he ran the race wearing more than 40 lbs. of firefighting gear!
The triathlete, runner, and family man did it all for one noble cause: to remember all those other firefighters who have fallen in the line of duty, and to honor them the best way he knows how.
Now, he's hoping to spread his message across the nation, one marathon at a time.
Scroll further to read more about Jose's cause, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
During this past Sunday's New York City Marathon, MSNBC's Morning Joe cohost Willie Geist snapped a gripping photo of a firefighter running in full gear.
Later, the firefighter was identified by Geist's Twitter followers to be Jose Zambrano, of the El Segundo, CA, Fire Department.
He had tackled the entire 26.2-mile race wearing all 45 lbs. of his professional equipment. But it wasn't his first time running a marathon; He has also run races in Chicago, in Waco, TX, and in cities all over California.
He is running these marathons for one noble cause: honoring and remembering all of the fallen firefighters who have died in the line of duty, as well as their families, through the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
With each donation, Jose hopes to support the foundation in its efforts to increase safety measures for firefighters.
In addition to remembering the lost heroes, the foundation also works to assist the families of the fallen firefighters in rebuilding their lives.
Through his journey in each marathon, he has received the support of hundreds and always manages to touch and inspire all those who run with him or watch from the sidelines.
Keep running, Fireman Joe! We support your cause and are inspired by your empathy and goodwill.
Click here to visit Jose's GoFundMe page and to find out how you can make a contribution to our fallen heroes.
Please SHARE if you will never forget our fallen heroes!
