Running for a cause: How one veteran is giving back at the Marine Corps Marathon

At Sunday’s Marine Corps Marathon, months and years of training will come down to one race. But for Jeffrey Mellenthin, this race is about finishing the job.

Mellenthin served in the Air Force for 20 years as a flight nurse caring for his fellow servicemembers.

“The mission was to bring everybody home, no matter what,” Mellenthin said.

While on a mission, Mellenthin suffered a back injury that progressively grew worse resulting in him getting several back surgeries. He later suffered a stroke that limited his mobility to only short distances and eventually leaving the Air Force fully disabled.

“It was really a tough challenge trying to figure out what to do with myself, ’cause I had been working as a nurse practitioner and then couldn’t do anything,” he said.

Mellenthin started paraclimbing and finished eighth at the World Cup.

And he started handcycling.

He is running in the marathon Sunday to raise money for Semper Fi & America’s Fund, a nonprofit organization that gives financial assistance to wounded veterans.

“Sometimes veterans who need these benefits are not in good places, and it needs to be available to them,” Mellenthin said.